Chapter of the Month: Claremont Colleges

End Overdose's chapter program is vital to our success in equipping young people with lifesaving education and resources. In cities and on college campuses, we trust them to spread the word through a true peer-to-peer model. Our members and volunteers are committing endless hours to End Overdose's cause, so we want to highlight a chapter every month.

Today, we're proud to highlight our Claremont Colleges chapter! We spoke with co-presidents Ember Yanez and Maddie Shore about the personal losses that inspired them to get involved in overdose prevention and response, the joy of seeing their chapter grow, and much more.

What sparked your interest in overdose prevention/response and End Overdose in particular?

Ember: I became familiar with End Overdose my freshman year of college after losing a loved one to opioid overdose. I got my naloxone certification through the website, and when chapter applications rolled around I worked with two other students at my college to get the chapter started. There was a huge lack of overdose prevention and response resources and awareness on campus and we wanted to help fill that gap,

Maddie: After losing a lifelong friend to overdose, I became interested in overdose prevention and response and wanted to teach as many people as possible to intervene in overdoses and save lives.

Can you describe your experience as chapter president at Claremont?

Ember: My experience as the Claremont chapter president has been amazing. I've watched this chapter and the organization grow so much in the past three years and have been so excited to see the way our campus and community supports our work. All the people involved in our chapter are amazing and work so hard to ensure the chapter runs smoothly. I would definitely recommend starting a chapter to anyone who's considering it - it's a rewarding experience and you get to meet so many cool people!

Maddie: I've felt a lot of joy and gratitude for watching our chapter grow from the start. It fulfills me every day knowing that more people know how to properly respond to overdoses. I've loved connecting with other students and having important conversations about de-stigmatizing overdose prevention and response.

What’re the major highlights from your chapter’s work to date?

Ember: For me, a major highlight for our chapter was club fair tabling this year. So many new people came by our booth to get trained and learn more about the organization! Another highlight from this semester was getting to do a long-form training for medical students at Western University of Health Sciences. Everyone was so engaged and asked great questions.

Maddie: My favorite moment so far was our overdose prevention and response myths Kahoot night. We had a good turnout and it was fun to see everyone excited to learn about being an active bystander. 

What do you envision for the future of your chapter?

Ember: I'm a senior now, and my biggest hope for the chapter is it continues to grow and be involved at the Claremont Colleges. We've been lucky enough to onboard some awesome new executive members for our chapter, so I'm confident we're leaving it in good hands.

Maddie: I'm excited to watch our chapter continue to grow, and I hope to see more collaborations with local organizations beyond the colleges.