2 minute read
Augsburg University's StepUP Program Celebrates 25 Years
collegiate recovery
Augsburg University’s StepUP Program Marks 25 Years
Advertisement
by Nell Hurley
This year marks the 25th anniversary of StepUP, Augsburg University’s Collegiate Recovery Program.
Twenty-five years ago, it was 1997. It was a remarkable time in many ways. That year, Google.com became registered as a domain name, Princess Diana died, a gallon of gas was $1.22, Bill Clinton was President, and StepUP, one of the nation’s oldest and largest Collegiate Recovery Programs, was born.
A lot has changed since then, but one thing that hasn’t changed is StepUP’s commitment to supporting students in recovery. After launching in 1997 in response to Augsburg alum Toby LaBelle’s vision of creating a recovery program on campus, StepUP has ranked high in what makes Minnesota’s recovery community so special. By the time LaBelle started attending Augsburg in 1993, he was already rooted in recovery, but it wasn’t always easy. Recognizing the amount of drinking and partying that goes on and that binge drinking is normalized for college students, StepUP’s co-founders wanted to normalize recovery on campus too. LaBelle enlisted his friend Dave Hadden to help realize his vision and with the support of the University and faculty member Don Warren, StepUP began as one of the nation’s first formal Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRP). Back then there were only a handful of CRPs: Brown University (started in 1977), Rutgers (1983), Texas Tech (1996), and Augsburg (1997) were it. LaBelle, Hadden, and Warren, and the program’s first director, Patrice Salmeri, had no idea then the impact that StepUp would have over the course of these last 25 years. “We just knew we wanted to support young people. We didn’t want anyone to have to choose between recovery and a college education,” said Salmeri.
Today, over 700 students have graduated from StepUP. Students like Jake S., who transferred to StepUP from Trinity University in San Antonio after struggling with substances during his first two years of college. After going to treatment following his sophomore year and then spending some time in sober living in Portland, Maine, Jake wanted to return to school. “I didn’t see going back to Trinity as an option. I knew I needed to be in a place that could really support me in my recovery,” he said. Jake found StepUP through the Association of Recovery in Higher Education’s website and it was one of the only programs he could find that offered a residential component.
Coming to StepUP was the right choice for Jake. “The counselors here at StepUP have been incredibly supportive. I've really enjoyed living with other Ste-
Oren Gateway Center (Photos courtesy of Nell Hurley / Augsburg University)
Students kayaking and camping (opposite page)
stepup program to pg 9
