Find support. Build community. Pursue your future.
At Saint Leo University, you don't have to choose between your sobriety and your college goals. The Derek J. Mitchell Residential Program: A Community of Hope provides students recovering from drug and alcohol addiction with a sober-living environment rooted in Benedictine values that supports both recovery and academic success.
It is Florida's only residential collegiate recovery program at a private Catholic university, and one of only a handful nationwide.
What the program provides
Students in the program will have access to:
- Dedicated sober residential housing
- Individual and group counseling
- Peer mentorship and recovery support
- Sober social activities and programming
- A supportive community of students in recovery
Students must have at least six months of sobriety before enrollment and commit to the program's sober-living community and recovery expectations.
Now accepting applications
Join the inaugural cohort of The Derek J. Mitchell Residential Program: A Community of Hope, beginning Spring 2027.
A proven model
The program combines peer support, recovery-focused programming, and academic engagement to help students thrive in both their recovery journey and college experience. This comprehensive approach fosters a supportive community where students can build meaningful connections, strengthen their well-being, and achieve their academic goals.
The story behind the program
The program is named in honor of Derek J. Mitchell and made possible by a $1 million founding gift from his parents, Pasco County philanthropists Dewey and Becky Mitchell. A native of Trinity, Florida, Derek graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University and pursued graduate studies at the University of Florida before building a career in construction and development across Florida, Texas, and Arizona. His family created this program so that students facing challenges like Derek's can find strength, purpose, and a path forward.
"Our family's hope and prayer is that this program becomes a place where students in recovery feel supported, understood, and empowered."
— Dewey Mitchell
The Mitchells' gift is the largest private commitment ever made to student recovery initiatives at Saint Leo University and lays the foundation for an endowment to sustain the program for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Derek J. Mitchell Residential Program: A Community of Hope is a supportive community that helps students maintain their recovery from substance use while they pursue their degree, through sober housing, counseling, peer support, and recovery-focused programming.
College students in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction who meet the program's requirements, including at least six months of sobriety before enrollment.
Sober residential housing, individual and group counseling with licensed clinicians trained in addiction and mental health care, peer mentorship, and sober social programming.
Applications open in August 2026, and the first cohort begins in Spring Semester 2027.
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