GLOUCESTER TWP. — Sara Wickizer has traveled a long road, and so the walk from the Papiano Gymnasium to the Truman Courtyard for Friday's commencement ceremony at Camden County College was seamless.
Wickizer, who graduated and receivedher certification in addictions counseling, has been homeless, addicted, and lost custody of her children.
"I was out of control," she admitted. Now, four years into recovery, she has her children, an education, a home of her own in Delran — and hope for a bright future.
"Everything's restored," she said, smiling.
Since 2015, Camden County College has granted associate's degrees in addiction counseling to 112 students, with 50 earning 24-credit certifications. The school's spokeswoman, Julie Yankanich, said CCC is the only institution in the state to offer a certification in addictions counseling, something that puts students, many of whom are themselves in recovery, a path toward paying careers.
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The school offers the 24-credit certification thatcan dovetail with its 60-credit degree, with overlap in the course requirements.
Zach Greer, in recovery since 2009, said he was "addicted to 'more,'" struggling with alcohol, opiates and cocaine. He returned to his education in 2012 after 20 years out of school but was unsure what path he wanted to take. After co-founding Mission Music, a nonprofit thatgives musical instruments to children who can't afford them, Greer thought about the ways to keep people from becoming addicts.
"This program has helped me apply what I already knew about addiction as an addict and add to that the book knowledge of what addiction is," he said. The Pine Hill resident isplanning to continue his education at Thomas Edison State University's human services program.
The professors at Camden County "have a real heart for addiction counseling," he said, echoing Wickizer, who spoke about her teachers' commitment to the cause.
"I was very intimidated and fearful" after being out of school for 20 years, she said. Her professors helped ease her transition back to school, she said: "They challenge us, and go beyond what's in the book to really make it come alive."
Professors including Leroy Stanford have struggled themselves with addiction, and that gives them a heightened sense of empathy, she noted.
"They know the difference between sympathy and empathy, and they provided us with the skills and education to be effective and empathetic counselors."
Christopher Watson called enrolling in the addictions program "the best decision of my life," something that led him to continue his education at Rowan University. A former case manager at a Camden social service agency, he's seen the devastating effects of addiction on people's lives and families.
He spoke about the emphasis on empowerment from his professors: "They are so dynamic, and they become mentors." The Lindenwold resident said that, as the opiate epidemic continues to spread, the need for counselors does, too, and he's anxious to have an impact.
"Pain medications have opened the floodgates," he said. "We're a pleasure-seeking society; I want to show people that there's another way."
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Involvement in his Lawnside church's social outreach programs and the Interfaith Homeless Outreach Council led Haddonfield resident Reginald Lee to the program. The father of two sons with special needs, Lee said he "saw the need to help people," and chose this program at his wife's urging. He's seen family members battle addiction and admitted "wasting a lot of time smoking marijuana" himself.
"There's a dire need out there in the communities I grew up in," he added.
Lakesha Prater, a single mother from Blackwood, dropped out of college and tried phlebotomy, collections and other jobs before deciding on addictions counseling. She's hoping to work with inmates in prisons and halfway houses to get their lives back on track.
Her father was a substance abuser, she said, and though he's now sober, she saw the impact his addiction had on her family.
For Wickizer, who credits her faith in God with all she's accomplished since entering recovery, the journey has been difficult.
"Life's struggles don't go away, but they do become manageable."
It's a lesson she hopes to pass on to others like her.
Phaedra Trethan: (856) 486-2417; ptrethan@gannettnj.com
