Student Health and Fitness Initiative to Begin This Fall

Written by Doug Goodnough

Hillsdale College is committed to developing students’ strength and resilience in mind, body, and soul. Sometimes the busyness of academic pursuits can result in neglecting physical well-being, but College leadership is taking a proactive approach. The College is launching a campus-wide health and fitness initiative that will encourage students to exercise their bodies as much as their minds and souls.

Students have shared that time limitations and lack of education are often the reasons they do not pursue fitness activities,” said Hillsdale College Vice President for Student Affairs Diane Philipp. “We are developing a program that will offer more spaces for our students to exercise with educational components to help them learn how to create individualized workouts that will fit into their schedules.”

The initiative will include the installation of fitness equipment in most of the residence halls on campus, according to Associate Dean of Men Jeffery “Chief” Rogers.“This gives them an opportunity to have a fitness facility right in their backyard,” said Rogers, a leader in the initiative. “A lot of it was from the students.”

With many Sports Complex fitness facilities often filled with athletes training for their respective sports, it was difficult for some students to find time to exercise. These additional facilities, as well as a new Founders Gym in the Stanton Center, should give students convenient new spaces to improve their fitness.“A lot of the dorms have space that we can utilize,” Rogers said. “No one has an excuse (to not work out).”

Some of the equipment being installed includes squat racks, free weights, jump boxes, and elliptical and rowing machines, Rogers said. Resident assistants in each dorm will be trained on the equipment to help supervise, and the Founders Gym will be fully staffed.

“Strength and endurance training along with other fitness programs will help form their souls by training their minds and bodies to accept, embrace, and overcome adversity,” Philipp said.

“We’re hoping that it helps students,” Rogers said. “That’s the goal.”


Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s new director of Alumni Marketing. He’s looking forward to connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.

 

 


Published in August 2022