By Timothy Whalen Jr. | Observer Contributor
Photo by Timothy Whalen
As you approach room 193, across from the Life Long Learning Center, you’ll Notice a sign that reads “Stigma Free Zone,” as well as the name of the co-founders, Jonathan Marshall and Ramsey Clayter or the newest MWCC program called The Link.
Mr. Marshall and Mr. Clayter, are helping students in recovery from substance abuse either enroll or re-enroll at Mount Wachusett Community College. In doing so, helping to finally fill the void of, for lack of a better word, the “black hole” of programs, not only at MWCC, but in the entire nation, geared at the growing community of individuals in recovery.
The Link was officially founded in August of 2017, and even being in its adolescence, has already helped approximately 60 students return to their academics to pursue their degrees and future goals.
When speaking with Sue Cullinane, a financial aid clerk at MWCC who works directly with Mr. Marshall and Mr. Clayter, she said, “…without The Link, most, if not all these students that they’ve helped would not be currently enrolled and pursuing their degree programs and goals again.” She went on and said, “…what they’re doing is not only beneficial for the individuals that they help, but for the community.”
The pair met in the Intro to Sociology course in the Fall Semester of 2016. They were able to confide in each other about the stress, feelings, and concerns of not only school, but their personal recovery as well. Mr. Clayter and Mr. Marshall identified how much they mutually benefited from each other and acknowledged that others in recovery could benefit the same way from having peers in recovery. Thus, sparking the idea to create The Link, to share the therapeutic value of one person helping another that they had found in one another.
Both Mr. Clayter and Mr. Marshall are in long-term recovery and stated that their re-enrollment process was not only a lengthy process, but a difficult one. Since their returns to MWCC, they both possess GPA’s above 3.7, and are proof that people recovering from substance abuse are more than capable of succeeding and excelling in academics.
When I raised the question to Mr. Clayter of the validity of addiction as a “disease,” he provided an educated answer; “The Center for Disease Control states that there are two requirements to be considered a disease. The first; ‘Is it chronic?’ and yes, substance abuse is chronic. The second requirement; ‘If left untreated, will it lead to death?’ and absolutely, it will lead to death.”
Not only is it defined as a disease, but the CDC as well as President Trump has issued it an epidemic, a term that is not often or lightly used. Currently, in New England alone, 6 to 7 people are dying every day from drug overdoses.
In Massachusetts alone, over 9,000 people died due to drug-related incidents in 2017. The question was then asked, “Do you think the government is doing enough to address the ongoing epidemic,” to which they responded, “Certain steps are being made, with more resources being allocated to treatment facilities and sober living programs, but more can always be done.”
Although these programs exist to help in recovery, but what is next? That is where The Link comes in, as Mr. Marshall put it best, “…people in recovery shouldn’t have to settle on working minimum wage jobs. They’re just as capable as any other member of society.” Returning to school or starting a college career is just one part of the reintegration to society aspect of the recovery process. The most admirable part of The Link is that it’s strictly a volunteer service. These two individuals are offering the services that were not available to themselves, as well as other students like them.
Recently, in recognition of their services, they were awarded the Community Health Improvement Plan award, or CHIP, for behavioral health and substance abuse. Not only have they been recognized by the community, but they stated that MWCC has been extremely supportive in their efforts and have granted them access to all the resources on campus that they need.
Mr. Clayter is now a licensed substance abuse counselor, and is pursuing his Human Services Degree, which will be completed at the end of the Spring ’18 semester. Mr. Marshall will be pursuing a similar career path, but is completing his Liberal Arts degree at the end of the Spring ’18 semester and will be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, also with career goals of helping members of the substance abuse community.
These two individuals have had a tremendous impact on MWCC, the community, and are well deserving of any, and all praise that they have received. They encourage all current students who either are related to or have close relations to someone in recovery to utilize their services, again, free of cost. The opiate epidemic is specifically a huge problem in current society, which most would find to be exponentially higher than they think.
The Link program encourages any student to reach out to them if they know of any family member, relative, or friend in need of their services to contact them via email or to just stop by their office.
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