)
Alumnus Lucus Greer on living his dreams and helping others
Bow Valley College Addictions Studies grad Lucus Greer knew that coming back to school and working towards his dreams wouldn’t be easy. As a proud husband, father, and recovering addict, he always dreamed of putting his lived experience to work to change not only his life, but also the lives of his wife and children.
“Before attending Bow Valley College, I worked in construction. It’s honest, hard work, but not my passion. When my wife was pregnant with our first child I knew I wanted to make something of my experiences and be a service to others who are also struggling,” Lucus said.
Lucus struggled with his own mental health and addiction in his youth and he knew he had the lived experience, as well as experience coaching through his martial arts and Muay Thai gym, to make a difference in the lives of others struggling with substance abuse. “I went through some really dark times,” Lucus says.
“Addiction nearly took my life several times before I overcame it. I knew I wanted to live my passion and to be able to tell my kids ‘you could be anything you want to be in life’ and for them to see that reflected in me.”
Lucus knew that Bow Valley College was the place to go to pursue this dream. “The instructors brought valuable knowledge to the classroom and they seemed really invested in us,” Lucus notes. “I had undiagnosed ADHD in high school and I was kicked out because they didn’t know how to handle me. I struggled with performing at my best academically. I had to go back and finish my GED as an adult. To go from that to coming back to post-secondary school much later in life and excelling was very special for me. It turned out all I needed was the right support and true passion for an area of study to be a top student.”
Lucus is currently living his dream and working as an Addictions Counsellor through Alberta Health Services. He has goals to complete a Bachelor’s Degree and a Masters of Social Work while working in the field. “My advice to Bow Valley College students would be to follow through with your dreams with everything you’ve got,” Lucus shares. “Bow Valley College opened so many career doors for me; it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. A fire starts with a single spark that just won’t die out!”
