Dewey and Becky Mitchell, parents of Derek who died from addiction, have donated one million dollars to establish a new collegiate recovery program at Saint Leo University in St. Leo, Florida. The Derek J. Mitchell Collegiate Recovery Program will provide sober housing, counseling, peer support, and a structured environment for college students recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. This initiative aims to help young people maintain their recovery while earning their degrees, addressing the needs of an estimated 600,000 college students nationwide who identify as being in some level of recovery. The program will be unique as the only residential collegiate recovery program at a private Catholic university in Florida. Saint Leo University leaders studied similar successful programs at Augsburg University in Minneapolis before developing their own initiative. The parents hope this program will honor Derek’s memory by giving other struggling students the support he never had, preventing them from facing the same tragic fate.
Pasco Parents Donate Million To Create Addiction Recovery Program At Saint Leo University
