August 13-15, 2024 | Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale | 155 Temple St, New Haven, CT
Zach Runge
Program Specialist & Adjunct Professor
Towson University
Pathway:
RECOVERY CAPITAL
Session Title:
Strategies to Support Recovery on College Campuses and Beyond
Session Details:
This interactive workshop explores the vital role faculty and staff can play in supporting students in recovery from substance use disorder (SUDs) during their educational experience. Given the increasing amount of fatal substance overdoses and the party culture often associated with college life, it is imperative that higher education professionals know how to support recovery efforts. The presenter will share insightful facts and figures as well as various ways to incorporate allyship into the classroom and campus community before moving into the discussion. Attendees, whether or not they are higher educational professionals themselves, will be able to gain an understanding of using person-first language, advocating for collegiate recovery programs (CRPs), and developing their own recovery-friendly pledge that can be used in various professional or community settings. As members of universities and colleges are uniquely positioned to become recovery allies, this workshop will focus on the transformative power of a recovery-friendly campus environment that addresses student needs, dismantles stigma, and promotes inclusivity.
What are you looking forward to most at #MPRCCT2024?
I am excited to expand my professional network while gaining deeper insight into the pathways and strategies that can support recovery. This will be my first time in New Haven, so I am also looking forward to exploring a new city while I'm there.
Zach Runge is a higher education professional with over 8 years of experience in the field. Having extensive familiarity with loving someone who is living with an addiction, Zach has blended his passion for education and recovery allyship in many areas of his work. Currently working at Towson University in the Department of Communication Studies, Zach is a trained on-campus recovery ally, advocating for students� wellbeing and raising awareness about Tigers in Recovery, the university�s collegiate recovery program. Additionally, Zach is a trained opioid overdose and mental health first aid responder while actively volunteering with local organizations such as Rage Against Addiction and Ashley Addiction Treatment. After losing his sister to an overdose in 2020, Zach, along with his mother, established a scholarship in her name at Harford Community College in order to support the educational journeys of students in recovery or impacted by substance use. Zach has developed and delivered various training sessions focused on how to create supportive environments for college students in recovery and is committed to promoting a recovery-friendly approach in all aspects of his work.