Systematic barriers can prevent educational and occupational attainment for those with substantive substance use or incarceration histories. For example, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 prevents those with a felony from receiving a Pell grant, effectively preventing college entry for most. Further, reporting that you have been arrested and/or convicted of a crime on college applications prevents many from applying, even though applications are rarely rejected for this purpose. Dr. Noel Vest talks about his lived experience through substance use, prison, and his journey into the academy, which has resulted in two primary areas of passionate engagement.  First, Noel pushes for policy-level change to ensure that those with lived experience have an opportunity for continued education and opportunity. Second, Noel engages in research to enhance recovery for those already in college in the form of collegiate recovery programs. Dr. Noel Vest is a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Keith Humphreys at Stanford University School of Medicine.