When the calendar turns to May, Devin Walsh, the University of Mary Washington’s peer recovery specialist, will mark off some significant milestones.
Two years ago, he committed to a life of sobriety, and the following spring, he began training to help others overcome their own struggles with substances and alcohol, which can often make it challenging for college students to stay in school.
“The University wants to give its students the best opportunity to be successful in college and beyond,” Devin said. “Being visible and outspoken about my own journey can give them the hope they need to heal and continue to study, learn, and grow so they can achieve their goals.”
Founded in 2017, UMW’s Eagles in Recovery program has provided the campus with critical resources and tools to support students, from the sober-curious to those who have experienced active addiction. Bolstered by a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant and other sources of funding, Eagles in Recovery also educates and engages the campus community through initiatives such as the coffee bike – providing hot beverages, snacks, and outreach – and recovery ally training to teach friends and family how to support loved ones while reducing stigmas surrounding addiction.
“Popular culture has perpetuated the idea that college is the best four-year party one can experience,” said Ray Tuttle, UMW’s health promotions and student success specialist. “But if you’re a person in recovery, and you don’t want to be in that kind of environment, it can be very difficult.”
In 2019, Ray helped secure $50,000 as part of the Expanding Collegiate Recovery in Virginia grant, awarded to several schools across the commonwealth by the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services. The University used the funds to set up a “clubhouse,” a designated safe space in the Link between Randolph and Mason halls, where students in recovery can spend time together in between classes and on weekends, without the risk of being near addictive substances.
Ray and Jiamie Pyles ’23, UMW’s former peer recovery specialist, also earned a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant, which provided $5,000 to support the specialist’s position. Piloted by UMW’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, the Impact Grant program awarded a total of $25,000 in donor-funded grants last spring, ranging from $1,200 to $5,000, to eight projects or initiatives pitched by students, faculty, and staff on behalf of recognized campus organizations.
Devin, who took over the position last year after serving as a volunteer, provides education and outreach through the recovery coffee bike, which he brings to major events on campus like Devil-Goat Day and Club Carnival. He also administers Narcan training to prevent opiate overdoses and oversees group support meetings and one-on-one coaching in the clubhouse.
“You’re talking to someone who has the professional training but also the lived experience of being in active addiction and working on one’s own recovery,” he said.
Devin also organizes substance-free fellowship events like bowling, camping, and trips to amusement parks, sometimes with other schools, and acts as a liaison with Rappahannock Area Community Services Board and various local nonprofits that serve recovery communities.
He plans to attend professional conferences this summer to learn more best practices for his position.
“A peer recovery specialist is still relatively new in the mental health sector, so there’s always new research to stay on top of,” he said. “We also take a multifaced approach, so it’s coming up with a different action plan for each person.”
The program has seen an uptick in students utilizing its services since Devin came to UMW, so both he and Ray are grateful for the Impact Grant, which was critical for the continuation of the program.
“Part of the vision for Eagles in Recovery is supporting students so they don’t have to choose between their recovery and their academics,” Devin said. “They can have both.”
UMW’s Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants program is made possible through donors’ gifts to the Fund for Mary Washington. These gifts are vital to the University’s ability to improve the student experience and support faculty, providing crucial flexibility to respond to emerging challenges and seize opportunities as they arise. When alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff give to the Fund for Mary Washington, they are choosing to be part of a community that is committed to giving back and making the world a better place – enabling students to make positive change through programs like the Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants.
– Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04
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