Student Benefits
Academic
Willingway Foundation Student Financial Awards
Each year, the Willingway Foundation generously donates around $25,000 in scholarship monies to students who demonstrate excellence in academics, a commitment to recovery, and a financial need. The Willingway Foundation has given over $100,000 in student financial awards since the Center’s inception in 2008.
Admission Assistance
From the earliest stages of thinking of applying to be a member of the Center and a Georgia Southern University student, the Program Coordinator at the Center will aid prospective students in determining if they are a good fit for the program. One benefit of seeking an education at Georgia Southern is that if prospective students have had legal trouble in the past, the right recovery recommendations and sober track record can help in securing admission if the staff at the Center get involved. Prospective transfer students who have experienced academic troubles as a result of active addiction can apply to East Georgia College (a nearby community college) until their GPA recovers enough to grant admission to Georgia Southern. East Georgia students are welcome to be a part of the Center as well!
Individualized Academic Advising and Semester Planning
While students at Georgia Southern have academic advisors for their colleges and majors, students who are a part of the Center are able to take advantage of the Center’s own academic advising. The Center helps students select courses that are amenable to their recovery routines.
Early Registration
Registering for classes each semester can be a difficult and time-consuming process. We are pleased to be able to offer the benefit of early registration to our students so that they have easy and early access to classes. This reduces stress and ensures that students have the classes they need each semester to make progress toward graduation.
Community
Service Work
Service is a huge part of the recovery process, and the Center at Georgia Southern has opportunities for at least 25 hours of community service on or around campus each semester. Projects vary, and we always take feedback from students as to what they want to be involved in on a yearly basis.
Weekly Seminars
For an hour every week, students meet at the Center in small groups for community-building and discussion. Seminar activities vary from week to week but focus on one of a few areas: academics, personal achievement, health and wellness, discernment, and spirituality.
Leadership Retreats
Leadership retreats provide an opportunity for our students to have a short getaway focused on team- and community-building. Through these retreats, we combine fun with leadership skill-building to strengthen the overall social networking and effectiveness of the Center. There is one large leadership retreat per year and students have had the opportunity to travel and build their leadership skills and capacity in Asheville, NC; Lake Norman, NC; Orlando, FL; Helen, GA; Tybee Island, GA; Boone, NC.
Sober Study Abroad
Since 2011, the Center has taken a select group of students to Ghana, in West Africa to do recovery service work, addiction education, and public health outreach. This work is part of a month-long study abroad during which students earn academic credit and get the experience of a lifetime immersed in another culture.
Community Service Speakers & Alcohol Peer Educators
The need is always great in any community for individuals in recovery to share their stories of hope and struggle. Our students share their stories in various locations in the Georgia Southern and Statesboro communities. In this way, we become a positive contributing force to the well-being of our surrounding communities. A few hand-selected students will be trained during the 2015-2016 academic year to be alcohol peer educators for students who have received alcohol or drug violations on campus.
All Recovery
The student group Students About Service (SAS) hosts an All Recovery Night at the Nessmith-Lane Conference Center at 7 pm on the third Wednesday of every month (when school is in session). The meeting exists to encourage communication and openness among different recovery communities and is open to anyone in or interested in recovery of any kind (eating disorders, sexual addictions, gambling addictions, etc.).
Last updated: 1/24/2022