Collegiate Recovery Community

• Get Involved with CRC
  An application is required for CRC membership. Click here to get started! 
  

  1. Download the form
  2. Fill out the form 
  3. Save the form as a PDF (Your name included in the file name) 
  4. Email your completed application to recovery@msu.edu.

  • The CRC All Recovery Meeting is held every Thursday at 8 pm in the basement of the Student Services Building, Rm 27E. The CRC All Recovery meeting welcomes all who struggle with addiction, are affected by addiction, and/or support the recovery lifestyle.
  • For more information contact Dawn Kepler, CRC Coordinator, by email at dkepler@msu.edu or call at 517.353.5564
• What Students Say about CRC

  “As a graduating senior, I can truly say that I could not have done it without the support I've had through the CRC. The friends, community, and lounge have provided me a safe space to navigate college. I'm sad to leave but excited to see the CRC grow from here.” - Taylor S.

  “Here at MSU, the CRC has been the foundation of my social life and growth, allowing me to meet amazing, likeminded, and supportive people. I am very thankful for the CRC and all those who want to make it better.” - MSU CRC Student

  “Being in recovery is difficult. Being successful in college is difficult. Doing both simultaneously is next to impossible. The support and services of the MSUCRC are absolutely essential to ensuring that we students in recovery have a chance to have a positive and fulfilling college experience.” - MSU CRC Student

  "Through the help of the CRC, I've been able to improve my life academically, socially, and my mental health has never been better. The CRC and the resources they offer such as counseling, workshops, and events truly save lives.” - MSU CRC Student

  “The Collegiate Recovery Community at Michigan State has been a huge help with my transition back to school as a person in recovery. I took the summer before my last year of undergrad to get clean so I was really nervous about coming back to MSU and learning how to live my life without the use of drugs. The CRC has not only been instrumental in my recovery, but I've made lasting friendships with some of the most incredible and brilliant people that I've ever met.” - MSU CRC Student

  “Being a new student MSU was intimidating. Being in recovery, I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to find friends who don't use substances. The CRC gave me the opportunity to meet young people in recovery. It gives me a safe place to go to where there are like-minded people and fun things to do.” - MSU CRC Student

  “One of the stated objectives of the CRC is to ‘empower students to thrive in the fullness of the college experience, free from alcohol and other drugs’, which has been the most important and effective part of the CRC for me. As a member with years of experience in recovery, being able to engage with support to stay clean is no longer an issue for me, but being able to have a full college experience while staying clean was a huge source of uncertainty for me when I decided to attend MSU. Having a group of students to connect with and do all sorts of fun activities with has made me feel a part of this wonderful University and I feel like I haven't missed out on anything. The fact that we have a CRC that appeals to and accommodates people like me all the way to people that aren't even sure they want to commit fully to a recovery lifestyle is a unique and extremely beautiful thing that I am proud and grateful to be a part of.” - Will V.

• Media Coverage
  Check out MSU’s CRC in the news!

  • WNEM, 5/20/19 | MSU offers 'sober living' refuge for students battling addiction
  • WKAR, 4/1/2019 | Michigan State's Recovery Housing May Expand Next Year
  • WILX, 11/19/18 | Michigan State offers housing for substance abuse recovery
  • Detroit Free Press, 11/18/18 | Michigan State offers housing for substance abuse recovery
  • MSU Today, 11/8/18 | MSU Offers Specialized Housing for Substance Use Recovery
  • The State News, 10/1/18 | Addiction, recovery and community at Michigan State
  • MSU Today, 3/7/18 | Taylor Struna: The Road To Recovery
  • The State News, 4/6/17 | MSU Traveler’s Club helps students cope with recovery by Imani Farmer
  • The State News, 10/30/16 | Hard drug cases on campus trending upward, still down from 2013
  • Recovery Campus, 10/18/16 | All About the Journey
  • HECAOD, 10/7/2016 | NRM: A Student in Recovery
  • MSU Today, 4/20/16 | MSU substance use recovery program helps students cope with addiction
  • Bridge Magazine, 9/28/15 | Stone cold sober on game day? It really happens

Recovery Housing

• Housing Option For Those In Recovery
  Recovery Housing AVAILABLE NOW!
  
  For students who are in recovery from a substance use disorder, this on-campus housing option offers a safe and supportive living environment where students can have a real college experience without the use of alcohol or drugs. Recovery housing offers the opportunity to form meaningful relationships based on sobriety, friendship, and academic success. Recovery housing offers live-in peer support, 24-hour access to the Collegiate Recovery Lounge, counseling support, academic resources, and organized activities. Students must be a member of MSU's Collegiate Recovery Community to be eligible for MSU Recovery Housing.
• Frequently Asked Questions About Collegiate Recovery Housing

  Download a PDF file of the Recovery Housing FAQ Sheet PDF file

  Q: Where is Recovery Housing located?

  A: Recovery Housing is located in Mason Hall in North Neighborhood. Mason Hall is a traditional, ivy-covered, collegiate Gothic-style building with beautiful wood ornamentation and decorative plaster walls. Designated Recovery Housing rooms are located on Substance Free floors within Mason Hall.

  Q: What room options and features are available?

  A: Mason Hall has a traditional style single and double occupancy rooms with community-style bathrooms. Rooms are furnished with modular elevated beds, cable TV and high-speed internet on designated male and female floors. Mason Hall also features a community kitchen, free laundry, study rooms, computer labs, music practice rooms, game rooms, and an ATM.

  Q: What is the cost of living in Recovery Housing?

  A: Rooms are priced at the standard university room rate. There are no additional costs to live in Recovery Housing. 

  Q: Who is eligible for Recovery Housing?

  A: Any student who identifies as being in recovery from a substance use disorder and who is abstinent from all drugs and alcohol. Students must complete an application and be an active member of the Collegiate Recovery Community to be eligible for Recovery Housing. For more information on the Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) or to apply, visit: www.olin.msu.edu/recovery.

  Q: Can I choose my roommate?

  A: Roommates must be members of the CRC. Roommate assignments are determined by CRC staff and are based upon student preference and roommate matching.

  Q: What staff supports do students receive while living in Recovery Housing?

  A: Students living in Recovery Housing receive support from a Resident Assistant (RA), Intercultural Aid, and a live-in certified Peer Recovery Specialist.

  Q: Where are the CRC meetings held in proximity to Recovery Housing?

  A: The CRC and Spartans' Organization for All Recovery (Registered Student Organization for students in recovery) meetings are each held weekly in the CRC Lounge, located in the Student Services Building Room 27E, which is just a 3-minute walk from Mason Hall!

  Q: Is there an application process?

  A: To live in Recovery Housing students must first apply to become a member of the CRC. To become a member, students need to complete a brief application, which can be found at
  http://olin.msu.edu/recovery. Within the CRC member application, the student will be asked to select their living preferences. Once the CRC application is submitted, CRC staff will assign housing.

  Q: How will Recovery Housing support my recovery?

  A: Recovery housing will provide a safe, structured and sober space for students to live on-campus while pursuing their academic goals. With this support, CRC students have excelled academically, achieving an average overall GPA of a 3.5.¹ Students are able to observe and model effective ways to manage environmental risk on campus through a strong sense of community, shared experiences and values.

  Q: Where do I go if I have other questions about Recovery Housing or the CRC?

  Contact CRC Coordinator Dawn Kepler by phone at 517-353-5564 or email recovery@msu.edu. You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MSURecovery

• Recovery Housing Application

  If you are interested in living in on-campus Recovery Housing at Michigan State University, please fill out the application at the following link:

  Application to the MSU Collegiate Recovery Community Recovery Housing

  You will be contacted for either a phone or in-person interview.

Jamie Daniels Memorial Scholarship

• Learn more about scholarship opportunities

  The Jamie Daniels Memorial Scholarship was established in 2019 for students in recovery at Michigan State University who participate in the Collegiate Recovery Community. Please contact the CRC Coordinator, Dawn Kepler, at dkepler@msu.edu for additional information about the Jamie Daniels Memorial Scholarship. 

  About Jamie Daniels 

  (As shared by the Jamie Daniels Foundation) 

  There’s a proven path to helping people struggling with addiction create lifelong sobriety and healing. Jamie Daniels was on that path. He was seven-months sober when he ingested a synthetic opioid that included a mix of heroin and fentanyl, a substance 100 times more potent than morphine. 

  It’s unclear why Jamie decided to take the pill that took his life, but what is clear is that he was set up to fail. While in treatment for drug addiction in South Florida, he became a victim of what’s known as “patient brokering,” a practice in which criminals lure people with strong insurance coverage into treatment centers that profit by excessively charging insurance companies for services. 

  This predatory business model aims not to help people stay sober, but to create an environment where relapse is likely to occur so the excessive charges can continue. For Jamie, the lure of the new facility was its cheap rent. He left a proven sober living facility with rent of about $1,000 per month for one that charged $50 per month. 

  Jamie knew he had a problem, and he was eager to change his life for the better. The 23-year-old recent Michigan State University graduate was pursuing a career at a law firm while in recovery. He was driven to progress his career, taking on extra hours and more responsibilities at the firm. 

  At the same time, Jamie was left increasingly vulnerable. The predatory care facility directed him to a new doctor, a self-proclaimed “addiction specialist,” who prescribed Jamie a questionable mix of medications. One of those medications was Xanax, a highly addictive drug that’s not recommended for people in recovery. It was also a drug Jamie had abused prior to entering recovery. 

  In the four months after Jamie left his proven sober living facility, his insurance was billed for nearly $60,000 for urine and blood tests — many of which never occurred. While visiting family in Michigan for Thanksgiving in November 2016, Jamie’s signature was forged for testing that never happened. It was only two weeks later that Jamie lost his life.  

  In the midst of the heartbreaking loss of their son, Ken Daniels and his family learned about the criminal side of the recovery business. The FBI told them that Jamie’s case was one of the rare occasions where criminal activity could be proven. The man who ran the final facility Jamie lived in was charged with insurance fraud and money laundering, and he is now serving 27 years in prison. 

  The more Ken and Jamie’s mom Lisa learned about the broken, billion-dollar recovery industry, the more they wanted to know. The family began sharing their son’s story in hopes that it might save someone’s life. And with the Jamie Daniels Foundation, they are taking their efforts to the next level.  

  The Jamie Daniels Memorial Scholarship has been made possible by the Jamie Daniels Foundation and the Children’s Foundation. Visit  jamiedanielsfoundation.org for more information.
  

Spartans' Organization for All Recovery (SOAR)

• Learn More about SOAR

  

  SOAR is MSU’s registered student organization for Spartans in recovery and their allies!

  The club offers:

  • Social Events
  • Service Opportunities
  • Peer Support

  "This semester, we decided to change the name of our Registered Student Organization from “Traveler’s Club” to “Spartans’ Organization for All Recovery (SOAR)” to more clearly reflect the goals of our organization. By adopting the name SOAR, we are hoping to expand on our goal of creating a fun, inviting, social environment for students in recovery from substance abuse. We think that by adopting this name change, we will have a more clear goal which will help us promote our organization, and create a much more inclusive environment that is welcoming of all forms of recovery." - SOAR Student President

  Join Us! SOAR meets weekly to plan events, socialize and support each other in recovery. We welcome the involvement of students or potential students in or contemplating recovery and their allies.
  
  For more information contact: recovery@msu.edu
  Like us on Facebook!
  Follow us on Twitter @SOARMSU
  Follow us on Instragram @MSU_SOAR

Recovery Ally Training

• Learn More About Recovery Ally Training
  Recovery Ally Training will...
  

  • Demonstrate that recovery is a long-term process with unique implications for student success.
  • Confront myths and stigma regarding addiction and recovery.
  • Introduce appropriate language related to addiction and recovery.
  • Convey the importance of empathy and openness with students in recovery.
  • Present the resources MSU has for students in recovery and how to access those services.

  Contact Dawn Kepler at recovery@msu.edu if you would like to schedule a Recovery Ally Training for your staff, faculty, or student group.

Local & Campus Support

• Local Support Groups

  Alcoholics Anonymous
  Lansing Central Office | 517.377.1444

  AA meetings on or near campus:

  • Sunday at 8:00 pm at St Thomas Aquinas Church, 955 Alton Rd.
  • Monday at 7:30 pm at All Saints Episcopal Church, 800 Abbott Rd.
  • Tuesday at 7:00 pm at The Peoples Church, 200 W. Grand River Ave.
  • Wednesday at 8:00 pm at MSU Engineering Building, Room 3400
  • Thursday at 6:30 pm at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1315 Abbott Rd.
  • Friday at 9:30 pm at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1315 Abbott Rd.
  • Saturday at 10:00 am at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1315 Abbott Rd.

  Narcotics Anonymous
  Michigan Region |1.800.230.4085

  Narcotics Anonymous meetings on campus:
  Monday at 7:30 pm at MSU East Fee Hall, Room E111

  SMART Recovery
  Find a meeting location by visiting smartrecoverytest.org/local
  
  Celebrate Recovery
  Thursday at 7 pm at Trinity Church, 3355 Dunckel Rd, Lansing
  517.492.1869

  Refuge Recovery
  Monday at 6:00 pm at The Fledge, 1300 Eureka, Lansing
  Thursday at 6:00 pm at the Cristo Rey Community Center, 1717 N. High Street, Lansing
  Friday at 7:30 pm at Just B Yoga, 106 Island Ave, Lansing

• Campus Supports
  • Alcohol and Other Drug Program | 517.884.6598
    The AOD Program offers free one-on-one educational sessions for students concerned about their own substance use or that of a friend or family member.
    
    
  • Counseling & Psychiatric Services (CAPS) | 517.355.8270
    MSU Counseling & Psychiatric Services (CAPS) is the central access point for students seeking mental health services on campus.
    
    
  • Student Health Services | 517.884.6546
    Olin Health Center is the primary health care facility for MSU students. Students also have the option of receiving primary care services in the four Neighborhood clinics located in Brody, Holden, Hubbard, and McDonel hall.
    
    
  • Gender and Sexuality Campus Center | 517.353.9520
    The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center leads and collaborates on university-wide initiatives that support students marginalized by their sexuality or gender.
    
    
  • Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities | 517.884.7273
    Students in recovery may be eligible for accommodations.

• Contact Info