Sobriety turned Alexis Rios's life around. "I wouldn't be back in school, I wouldn't be a trainer, my life would be so different. I don't even think I would be married. Being sober, the people I've met and the stories I've heard, it does not discriminate. It touches so many people. At first you feel shame, and then you feel pride and you're happy."
Rios is a 31-year-old native of Los Angeles. She earned her GED there and went to college for year before quitting. She spent most of her 20s bartending, first in California and later in New York City.
Nearly four years ago she got sober and met her partner in New York City, a Veteran who was a student a Syracuse University. Rios eventually decided to move to Syracuse and considered whether to try college again. "I decided I could do this. I could go back to school. I've always been a big book reader. I'm really into political science. I've done so much activism and community work. Outside of my job, things in the community were my passion. I knew I had to go back to school so I could take this education and put it with my passion. People don't really listen to a voice that has no power or education behind it."
In the fall of 2023, she enrolled in OCC's Humanities & Social Sciences degree program and made a seamless transition back into higher education. "I was concerned at first because I was an adult student. I realized quickly there were so many people like me. I was 29 when I started. I quickly became comfortable and excelled academically. I realized how good at academics I am and how naturally it comes to me."
During her sophomore year, Rios was named a Meg O'Connell Social Justice Scholar. "It's been a great experience. We've made a lot of connections in the community. I've learned so much about Syracuse, its shortcomings, and also the things it's thriving in. It's been eye-opening."
In the process of changing her life and embracing sobriety, Rios became a personal trainer. It led her to join OCC's Student Government as Chair of Wellness. "I wanted to introduce wellness to college students. Where someone is mentally, emotionally, and physically are all very important. I thought it would be important to have a way to help students meet their wellness needs."
Rios will complete her degree next month. She plans to transfer and will major in Political Science and eventually go to Law School.
