Sober Summit at the University of Florida
Schedule
Thu Oct 23 2025 at 11:00 am to 06:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
University of Florida | Gainesville, FL
THE CARNIVAL | 11am-2pm | Reitz Union North Lawn, Ladies and gents, Albert’s and Alberta’s! Join the CWC Sober Gators and learn how to juggle making smart choices with drugs & alcohol. Come visit a palooza of carnival games that come with a sobering twist! From 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, step right up to a better YOU through interactive attractions designed to amaze, amuse, and educate! Try your hand at many jubilant games where every prize comes with wisdom about substance use that will serve you well in the circus of life. Feast on delicious mocktails! Collect prize tickets for giveaways! All while visiting each stop on the Carousel of Knowledge, designed to illuminate the real impacts of substance use without any judgment. Don't be a clown about your choices - join us for a dazzling carnival experience that promises both merriment and meaning. Save the date for our Sober Summit Carnival - where the fun is real, but the lessons are no illusion!
THE WORKSHOP | 3:30-4:30pm | Reitz Union Room 2365
Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Promoting Onsite Awareness and Intervention by guest speaker Ethan Fisher
Step right up, Gator faculty and staff! Join keynote speaker Ethan Fisher for an afternoon workshop following the Sober Summit Carnival. You'll develop practical skills to juggle the complex balancing act of supporting student wellbeing.
This session will spotlight the invisible early warning signs of mental health concerns. Explore the tangled relationship between substance use and mental health challenges, while mastering evidence-based intervention techniques that will transform you into a true safety net for students. No need to walk this tightrope alone – visit resource tables from campus and community organizations that will showcase support services available to help your students thrive. This workshop is the perfect second act of our Sober Summit, bridging the morning's student-focused activities with the evening's keynote presentation.
THE KEYNOTE | 6pm | Reitz Union Room 2365
Keynote Finale: Life Consequences: A Tale of Redemption, Choices and Decisions
You’re invited to the grand finale of our Sober Summit event with a dazzling evening keynote by mental health advocate Ethan Fisher. Step right up to witness a remarkable story of transformation that will leave you inspired! Ethan's journey from promising athlete to prison inmate to collegiate MVP is a real-life testament to the power of choices and their consequences. Through his captivating presentation, he'll pull back the curtains on how untreated depression and substance abuse created a high-wire act that eventually came crashing down. As fellow college students navigating the thrilling but challenging circus of academic life, you'll find Ethan's message particularly relevant.
This keynote presents:
• The illusion of substance uses versus its sobering reality
• Practical techniques to maintain balance
• The spectacular transformation possible when you choose authentic wellness
This isn't just another cautionary tale - it's an interactive experience that will challenge you to examine your own choices while providing the tools to craft a more intentional future.
Don't miss this grand finale to our Sober Summit! Join us at 6:00 PM for an evening that promises both entertainment and lasting impact. No ticket required - just bring an open mind and readiness to be amazed by what's possible when you become the ringmaster of your own life choices.
