a space on campus, and this is the beginnings of it.”

Cervi’s role in spearheading the program required extensive research, including calling the 15 universities that have existing programs and selecting components that the University might use for its own program.

Cervi also meets with students who are in early recovery, once per week, to see what they need in order to survive in the college atmosphere.

“Some come with already established recovery habits, but they are really generous and are willing to mentor students that are in recovery,” Cervi said. “When you have a graduate student who is five years sober and when you have an 18 year old that is one year sober, and to see proof that they can do it — that is awesome.”

“The services have to be more individualized. There is no cookie cutter approach to making sure we are serving students to what they need,” Cervi added.

Cervi succeeded in making sure University Housing was on board with special accommodations for students in recovery, including special housing for those who are trying to remain sober. In the University’s housing application, there is now a separate housing option for students in recovery. This fall, four students took advantage of that option and live in a place that provides recovery resources.

The challenges of recovery

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held in the Michigan Union every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. These meetings have been a helpful resource for students in the program, giving students chips to signify milestones in sobriety and helping them through the 12-step program. According to Cervi, the CRP has even succeeded in negotiating with the University to accept recovering students with criminal records.

Desprez has hopes of obtaining a bigger space, more financial support, a separate program coordinator and possibly scholarships for recovering students in the future. She also thinks that the program coordinator should be in recovery as well. However, Because of her position in the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention program and her dedication to the creation of the CRP, she became the program's head.

“Sometimes a recovering student needs to look across the table at a recovering addict and think ‘You get me,’ ” Desprez said.

Desprez said the program also needs to learn to address the ever-present possibility of relapse.

“One of the facts of recovery is that there can be relapse, and it’s just part of it,” Desprez said. “You don’t just go, ‘Oh well, sorry.’ You have to figure out: Where does active treatment end and recovery support begin? We are still figuring that out.”

Relapse is something that Desprez and Cervi think can be curbed by a program like the CRP, due to the sense of community on a college campus.

“The nature of the disease is that relapse can happen anywhere. It’s about creating a community of support.”

However, according to Cervi, students are as vulnerable as anyone else dealing with a history of addiction.

Rory Crook is approaching his ninth year of sobriety. According to Crook, being in recovery is “thoroughly embedded” in his identity. Crook attended the University for two years as an undergraduate and returned this year as a graduate student in the School of Public Health.

Crook said his experience at the University hasn’t been that of the average student, especially in the undergraduate college environment.

“I could have never went to college not sober,” Crook said.

“I’ve never had an issue with drinking here. The only thing that makes it difficult in meeting or socializing with people is that I don’t go to parties that often, which is fine, but it means I don’t have the average experience that a student has here,” Crook said.