During the spring semester of 2025, a handful of students, committed to breaking the stigma around mental health and recovery, set out to host the first ever Collegiate Recovery Day event at UT. For the 306 students who made their way to the Student Union for mocktails, sober yoga, axe-throwing, and more, the event marked a new chapter for recovery on campus as students were encouraged to find community, seek the help they need, and be a source of encouragement to those around them by reducing stigma and breaking boundaries.
Leading the way for this program was Vanessa Betancourt, a UT alumna (‘22) and current doctoral student in the UT College of Nursing whose area of focus is psychiatric mental health. After being paired with a local harm reduction agency as an undergrad studying nursing, Betancourt knew she wanted to focus professionally in the area of addiction and recovery.
“My entire journey of knowing I wanted to work in the addiction and recovery space started during my undergrad years, but now seeing people get into recovery is a passion,” says Betancourt. “Hosting a large-scale event for Collegiate Recovery Day was a big goal for me as a Rocky Top Recovery ambassador.”
Betancourt credits the success of the event with a campus partnership that was formed between Rocky Top Recovery and the Campus Events Board, a student-led programming team that has recently transformed into a team of paid student positions in the Center for Student Engagement. When the two groups combined their collective skills in executing large campus events with a passion for supporting students in recovery, the result was a large and successful public Collegiate Recovery Day. From local music, community and campus partners, and a national speaker, every aspect of the event celebrated the role community plays in recovery.
As the keynote speaker of the outdoor event, student organizers invited Karena Dawn, a well-known voice in the national conversation around recovery and a best-selling author, to share her experiences. The focus of Dawn’s non-profit and personal platform is about breaking the stigma around recovery and mental health.
“When Karena told the audience, ‘I can show the darkest parts of myself to the world and that’s actually what has brought me success and the greatest relationships,’ that illustrates to students that they don’t have to hide their struggle to find community or to be successful,” says Betancourt. After a fireside chat with pre-selected questions and a brief speech about her journey, Dawn answered questions from the student audience.
In addition to the speaker, the event included giveaways with recovery-centered promotional items, a local band, and a solo artist who is herself in recovery, sharing original music plus covers of popular hits.
For Harper Johnson, who joined UT in the summer as the collegiate recovery program coordinator, talking with students, listening to their stories, and sharing what recovery has meant in her own life was a special moment as she finished her master’s in public health.
“Collegiate Recovery Day reminded me why I am passionate about this work, that we can work towards breaking the stigma and show that recovery is possible and worth celebrating,” says Johnson. “Stepping into the role of the collegiate recovery program coordinator, I am excited for what’s ahead and all the ways we can grow this community together.”
The Collegiate Recovery Day initiative illustrated not only the partnership that exists between student organizations but it also illustrated the commitment the greater Knoxville community has to promote health and well-being, including supporting UT students on their journey in recovery. Swig, a national beverage company, attended the event and offered a sweet mocktail to students, and Frog Juice Boocherie, a local kombucha brewer, was also present. The kombuchery doesn’t serve alcohol but has an atmosphere similar to that of a regular bar, which helps bridge the gap for those in recovery.
“We wanted to demonstrate that being in recovery doesn’t mean the end of having fun or the end of your life as you know it,” says Betancourt. “And to show students that even in the greater Knoxville area there’s a sober community you can belong to…community is part of everyone’s recovery journey.”
“We wanted to demonstrate that being in recovery doesn’t mean the end of having fun or the end of your life as you know it.”
Vanessa Betancourt
Rocky Top Recovery Ambassador
Overall, 24 campus and community partners were part of the event and plans are in place for a spring 2026 Collegiate Recovery Day event that builds upon this success. “We set out to celebrate recovery on the main stage of campus, so to speak, and our hope is that this becomes an annual event for the UT community,” adds Betancourt.
Overall, 24 campus and community partners were at the event to serve as resources and connections for 306 student attendees.