Huntington Times

The West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network (WVCRN) has announced the recipients of its Fall 2024 Scholarship: Jeremy Bailey and Ty Mullins, both students at Marshall University. As members of Marshall University’s Collegiate Recovery Community, Bailey and Mullins have consistently engaged with a peer recovery support specialist, participated in collegiate recovery community groups, and attended special recovery events throughout the school year.

The WVCRN Scholarship is made possible through fundraising efforts and generous donations. It is awarded directly to students to help with school-related expenses. The selection committee, composed of members of the WVCRN Advisory Committee, carefully reviews and selects recipients based on their commitment to recovery and academic excellence.

This year’s leading donor to the WVCRN Scholarship Fund is Coal River Coffee Company (CRCC), based in St. Albans, West Virginia. Born out of the partnership between WVCRN and CRCC is the creation of the custom coffee blend “Recovery Roast.” This special blend is available for purchase both in person at CRCC in St. Albans and online, with proceeds directly contributing to the scholarship fund.

“Collegiate Recovery has been a cornerstone of support throughout my college journey,” Bailey said. “Although I entered college with a strong support network, Collegiate Recovery has connected me with a community that truly understands the unique challenges of being a student in recovery. College is tough, but together, we navigate the ups and downs, providing strength and encouragement to one another.”

Mullins said he often draws inspiration from the Japanese art of Kintsugi.

“Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum,” Mullins said. “The art of kintsugi is the acceptance of transience, imperfection, and the beauty found in simplicity and is also an appreciation of natural objects and the forces of nature, reminding us that nothing stays the same forever. Addiction broke us. Through recovery, we are imperfectly put back together. In the end, we become better and more beautiful than we were before.”

For more information about the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network or Coal River Coffee Company, visit https://www.wvcollegiaterecovery.com/ and https://www.coalrivercoffee.com/product-page/recovery-roast