This story was originally published in the Mustang News March print issue.
When Davis Henegar needed to take a leave of absence from Cal Poly to get inpatient treatment for his addiction, his parents weren’t sure if he would be able to go back.
Upon his return, Cal Poly offered to give him as much support as they could, but there wasn’t a community of students that Davis could really connect with in his recovery — so he started his own.
“I cannot say enough good things about how Cal Poly supported him,” Davis’s mom Traci Henegar said.
Davis started Mustangs for Recovery in 2018 to create a safe space on campus for students in recovery from addiction, according to the Mustangs for Recovery introduction video on their webpage.
In the beginning, it was just a couple of students going to the meetings, but it started taking off after about a year, according to Traci Henegar.
In the six years since, Mustangs for Recovery has grown with more meetings and events, support staff and medications such as the newly added nicotine patches and gum available to purchase over-the-counter at the Cal Poly Pharmacy.
Mustangs for Recovery and Cal Poly Health and Wellbeing offer “ample opportunity” for every student in recovery to get the resources they need, according to Cal Poly’s alcohol and other drug health educator Andre Sillas.
There are varying reports on how many students are in recovery at Cal Poly. According to Sillas, 8% of the freshman class are in recovery and an American College Health Association survey done in spring 2022 found that 1.4% of Cal Poly students are in recovery.
Sillas said that depending on where a student is in their recovery journey and what direction they want to go moving forward, students can take one of several paths.
One option is for students to get individual support either through a peer health educator or a professional health educator. Students can start by completing an anonymous self-assessment or by signing up for an appointment right away, according to Cal Poly Campus Health and Wellbeing.
Another option is to get group support through Mustangs for Recovery.
Mustangs for Recovery holds anonymous weekly meetings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. and Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the lower level of the Health Center (Bldg 27).
The Tuesday and Thursday meetings are similar to the traditional 12-step recovery programs, while the Wednesday meetings focus more on meditation and mindfulness, according to Sillas.
These weekly meetings continue via Zoom during the academic breaks as well, “just so that they’re staying on this routine and consistency of meetings and being a part of that supportive community, especially going back home for breaks,” Sillas said.
Mustangs for Recovery also hosts social events throughout the year, like arts and crafts, movie nights and kayaking in Morro Bay, according to Sillas.
“What we’re trying to do is match the college experience, but from the framework of no pressure of being around substances or alcohol,” Sillas said.
Members of Mustangs for Recovery are also eligible to apply for the Davis Henegar Memorial Scholarship, which was started by his family after he passed away in 2021.
“It’s super meaningful for us because it means our son’s name is actively living on in this university that he loved so much and it also helps other students that have gone through a similar journey,” Traci Henegar said.
For Traci Henegar, addiction is a health issue and people who are struggling with addiction need the appropriate support as they go through their recovery journey.
Supporting someone through their recovery journey is hard, she said, but it is important to trust one’s gut and be open to vulnerability.
“If you can find a way to be vulnerable with your family, with your community, with your friends, it ends up really helping a lot,” Traci Henegar said.
Students looking to support their friends who are struggling can get advice from counselors at the health center, Sillas said. He suggested students have a conversation with their friends about why they’re using substances and to point them to resources that could help.
College students have an especially hard time recovering from addiction, according to Sillas, but it’s still possible to get the full college experience.
After getting treatment, Davis Henegar was able to return to Cal Poly and graduate in 2020 with a degree in business, concentrating in information systems.
While his graduation ceremony was canceled because of the pandemic, his family still found a way to celebrate by holding their own graduation ceremony in the backyard of an Airbnb in San Diego.
His parents were the keynote speakers and they handed him a fake diploma when he walked across the patio stage in his cap and gown.
“He was so excited and we were so excited,” Traci Henegar said. “I’ll never ever forget that.”