From Recovery to Award Winner on Commencement Night
On Thursday night, one of the loudest cheers inside the arena during the 2026 commencement ceremony for 天美传媒 will likely come when Madison Mary-Katherine Hayes walks across the stage to receive her diploma.*
For Madison Hayes, becoming one of the 558 graduates in the Class of 2026 is more than an academic achievement - it is a celebration of recovery, resilience, and a second chance at life.
Hayes, this year's recipient of the LCCC Alumni Association Outstanding Graduate Award, has overcome extraordinary personal struggles on her journey to graduation. Her story has become a powerful example of hope for students in recovery and for anyone facing adversity.
"Recovery is not simply about surviving, it is about thriving," said Melissa Wassel, director of the LCCC Center for Student Support & Intervention, during a recent campus event celebrating National Collegiate Recovery Week.
Hayes embodies that message.
Just 18 months ago, Hayes was battling severe addiction and mental health challenges. She openly shared during a recent campus ceremony that years of substance abuse nearly cost her life. On Sept. 27, 2023, she attempted suicide through an overdose and was clinically dead before being revived.
"I did die that day, but by some miracle, I was brought back," Hayes said .
After another relapse weeks later, Hayes committed herself fully to recovery. Since Oct. 8, 2023, she has remained sober, free from self-harm, and dedicated to rebuilding her life.
Today, Hayes is thriving academically, professionally, and personally.
She serves as president of the LCCC Stay Strong Student Support Club, has earned induction into five honor societies, and received numerous honors including the AllOne Recovery Educational Institute Award, a Community Service Award, Outstanding Psychology Student Award, and her newest recognition --the Alumni Association Outstanding Graduate Award.
This fall, Hayes will continue her education at Misericordia University through the new Accelerate Your Degree partnership between LCCC and Misericordia University, creating a seamless pathway for students to continue earning advanced degrees.
Hayes credits much of her success to the AllOne Recovery Educational Institute (AREI), a partnership between LCCC and the AllOne Foundation that provides academic, career-planning, and social support services for students recovering from addiction.
"When I tell you this program has saved my life, I am not kidding in the slightest bit," Hayes said. "There is help available and you matter and you are never alone. And I will always continue to recover loudly, so others do not suffer quietly."
AREI was launched in 2019 after the AllOne Foundation donated $1.19 million to the college -- at the time the largest private donation in LCCC history. The program has since expanded significantly with support from Luzerne County opioid-settlement funding, helping nearly double enrollment for students in recovery while providing tuition assistance, textbook support, and Certified Recovery Specialist training opportunities. Hayes' journey is one of those lives transformed.
Friends, coworkers, faculty members, and classmates describe Hayes as an inspiration both inside and outside the classroom. Coworkers at Abe's Hot Dogs celebrated her recent academic accomplishments publicly, praising her determination, work ethic, and compassion.
For Hayes, graduation night represents more than receiving a diploma. It represents healing, perseverance, and proof that recovery is possible.
As LCCC celebrates commencement this week, the college is also celebrating stories like Madison Hayes' -- stories of courage, community support, and hope.
And when she walks across the stage Thursday night, Madison Hayes will not just be receiving an award.
She will be celebrating a life reclaimed.