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The William Magee Center for Alcohol and Other Drugs and Wellness Education will kick off Recovery Awareness Month with Barry Doughty, direct care coordinator at the , speaking at 7 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 4) in the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Doughty will share his professional experience working with individuals in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and his personal recovery. He also will offer guidance on how family and friends can provide support in a compassionate, judgment-free way, said Shannon Richardson, assistant director of the William Magee Center.

"Every recovery story is different and very personal, so our hope is that folks leave the presentation feeling more confident and equipped to walk alongside a family member or friend in their own journey," Richardson said.

Because "no one walks alone," the public is also invited to participate in the center's recovery walk at 2 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 7) at the South Campus Recreation Center.

"We planned these events for the first weekend of September to launch a monthlong celebration of people in recovery," Richardson said.

More than 180 collegiate recovery programs operate at U.S. colleges and universities, Richardson said. The program at Ole Miss is called the Collegiate Recovery Community.

"We provide an inclusive environment for those on their recovery journey as well as those supporting them or choosing to live a sober lifestyle," said Alysia Lajune, the center's program manager.

Such programs provide support and help decrease the recurrence of substance use disorders, Richardson said.

"Here at Ole Miss, we are fortunate to have generous donor support to provide student scholarships and support personnel to help our students in recovery persist, thrive and graduate," she said.