The Roost
Recovery and Allyship
Welcome!
The Roost is a dynamic Living-Learning Community for individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder, those exploring diverse recovery concepts, and students advocating for recovery.
Located in Payne Hall, The Roost empowers your story by nurturing holistic well-being, and encouraging strong peer connections. Immerse yourself in a distinctive college experience rooted in a substance-free community and self-discovery.
What is recovery?
We believe that recovery is more than the absence of substance use and/or addictive behaviors. Instead, it is the presence of sustained, consistent action to improve all aspects of our lives.
Recovery includes improved well-being, becoming a better person, living in a positive community with others, finding meaning and purpose and being of service to those around us.
Recovery provides hope.
Formed initially in 2015, the Virginia Tech Recovery Community has grown from an organization with 1 student member and a faculty advisor, into its own department within Hokie Wellness that offers a safe space, recovery meetings, scholarship opportunities, and social engagements for 20+ students in recovery, and those considering harm reduction strategies. The community now has 2 full-time faculty/staff members that are dedicated to serving as resources to students in recovery, recovery allies, and campus partners.
One of the community’s first major milestones was transitioning from having a single room at the Wesley Foundation and hosting recovery meetings in a variety of spaces, to having its own physical lounge space in Payne Hall. Having dedicated space on campus is a pillar of national collegiate recovery efforts.
Bringing recovery housing to campus has been a goal of the community’s since its induction. The launch of The Roost LLC in Fall 2024 is a monumental achievement that adds an extra layer of support for students to experience campus life with faculty support and peers with common lived experiences.
- Recovery Lounge: Students have access to a dedicated space that is housed on the first floor of Payne Hall. The lounge is equipped with a full kitchen, dining area, and living room for students to study, socialize, and attend recovery meetings in. Both full-time faculty members have offices in the lounge as well, giving students direct access to 1:1 recovery support. Within the lounge, students will also find resources to help them further explore recovery concepts (i.e. literature, games, workbooks, etc).
- Payne Hall: The Roost is located in Payne Hall, which is a suite-style residence hall. Suites consist of four to six students (in double rooms) sharing a common living area and bathroom. The Roost will also be on the same floor as Virginia Tech’s Recovery Offices, and the Recovery Lounge. Payne is also home to Meraki, an LLC focused on creating a supportive environment where students can explore well-being and its six dimensions. All Meraki programing will be available to The Roost students in a shared partnership.
Please give these requirements careful consideration before applying to The Roost to ensure that this will be a good match for you. Being part of this LLC is more than just living with those with a similar lifestyle, but a desire to delve deeper into recovery, and what it means to be a community.
- Students will be required to participate in a Recovery Seminar Series cohort each semester that they are active in the LLC. The seminar meets weekly for 75 minutes and is structured as a community building workshop where students engage in exploration of issues related to addiction, recovery, and academics. This seminar is meant to be an intensive and unique learning experience for students that are in recovery from addiction or who are new to the recovery concept.
- Students will be expected to be actively engaged in community. Engaging in community can look like: attending events, supporting peers, engaging in leadership opportunities, and participating in building-wide programming with Meraki.
Members of The Roost leadership committee will meet twice a month to discuss any community concerns, brainstorm potential programming, upcoming events, and more.
- The Communications Coordinator will be responsible for keeping the community up to date on what's happening and when. Primary tasks will include sending GroupMe reminders for upcoming events/meetings, and documenting events (pictures/videos) for social.
- The Programing Coordinator will be responsible for planning/executing at least one event per month which can be internal and/or include the VTRC. This could be a game night in the recovery lounge, cookie baking contest, sunset walk - the opportunities are endless!
- The Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for communicating with campus partners and planning opportunities to promote The Roost/Virginia Tech Recovery Community. Primary tasks will include supporting events like the Housing Fair and Hokie Focus, outreach with campus/community partners (including the Pride Center, APIDA+, El Centro, Greek life, etc.), and coffee bike events as needed.
For additional information, contact program director Amy Terry at Theroost@vt.edu.
In partnership with the Virginia Tech Recovery Community.
