Healing. Outreach. Prevention. Empowerment. (HOPE)
Help students in recovery find HOPE at Radford University.
For many students, two of the most outstanding characteristics of higher education are its newfound independence and unique challenges. For some, exposure to these challenges and/or their freshly established autonomy (often combined with other predispositions) can trigger a chain reaction that leads them down a path to addiction. A strong combatant of addiction is connection. It is vital for people in recovery—especially early recovery—to find a welcoming community of support and an environment of hope.
Students should not have to choose between their education and their recovery. We're here to provide support so they don’t have to.
The office of Substance and Violence Education Support services (SAVES) houses Highlander HOPE (formerly known as the Collegiate Recovery Community) at Radford University, as part of the Division of Student Affairs. Our mission is to provide a safe, comfortable environment for students in recovery and those that consider themselves allies to individuals in recovery to strive academically, attend to their emotional and physical well-being with trained professionals, and connect socially with other students in recovery and allies to students in recovery.
We endeavor to provide an immersive community experience for our students through recovery-based activities such as community-building trips, a gathering space to encourage connection, unique alternative spring break options, and graduation ceremonies celebrating their achievements.
In addition to these programs, whole-student support plays a vital role in ensuring our students can fully engage in their academic journey. Financial assistance helps remove barriers that might otherwise interrupt their progress, allowing them to focus on their studies, maintain stability, and continue developing healthy, sustainable pathways to success. Our staff aim to provide holistic support—strengthening a student’s academic, personal, and emotional growth as they work toward earning their degree.
We need your help to support these and similar highly impactful activities. The whole Highlander community benefits when we make recovery accessible and attainable for our students.
