Alliance Alert: don’t miss this very timely webinar tomorrow from our friends at the National Empowerment Center!
Free Webinar
September 10, 2025 2-3:30pm
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A Holistic Approach to Collegiate Recovery
The landscape of higher education is ever-changing, which drives the need for programs, offerings, and ideas to evolve, too. This thought-provoking webinar will explore how the WVU Collegiate Recovery Program broadened its approach to help the West Virginia University campus embrace recovery as a deeply personal, multidimensional journey that encompasses mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Building off the SAMHSA definition of recovery, a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential, presenters will discuss how WVU CRP has expanded on traditional views of recovery to meet the diverse wants and needs of students.
Through expert insights, student voices, and real-world examples, this webinar will highlight the importance of creating and sustaining inclusive, flexible, and holistic collegiate recovery programs that recognize and honor a range of experiences and pathways. We’ll discuss best practices and novel ideas for campuses to support students in ways that honor autonomy, foster connection, and promote personal growth.
Presented by:
Olivia Dale Pape, Director, WVU Collegiate Recovery
Olivia Dale Pape serves as the Director of the West Virginia University Collegiate Recovery Program. She is a founding member of the program and has been instrumental in its growth and development since 2015. Olivia is a passionate advocate for individuals in recovery from eating disorders, substance use disorders, and other mental and behavioral health concerns, and is committed to creating a culture of recovery at WVU. As part of her dedication to stigma reduction, she co-hosts regular Recovery Ally training courses, and has trained more than 2,000 faculty, staff, students, and community members since August 2020. In 2022, she was selected as one of West Virginia’s 40 Under 40 leaders. Olivia holds a Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences degree from West Virginia University.
Ella Wix, Graduate Assistant, WVU Collegiate Recovery
Ella Wix is a first-year graduate student in West Virginia University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s program. Hailing from Vienna, WV, Ella has always had a passion for helping people and striving to make a difference in the community. She worked with the WVU Collegiate Recovery Program as an undergraduate and will be returning this semester to serve as a Graduate Assistant. Ella earned her bachelor’s degree in Mental Health and Addiction Studies from West Virginia University in Spring 2025.