St. Thomas seniors Jordy Estrada-Chavez and Anna Miller assist first-year Ethan Deutsch on an exercise bike. Exercise is Medicine’s focus has been to help students build their physical endurance. (Leila Weah/TommieMedia)
Exercise is Medicine — a program available to universities nationwide — has found its way to St. Thomas.
The program, available to all St. Thomas community members, is designed to personally tailor to the physical training needs of its members. The student run program currently has 10 trainers, and each trainer works with 10 to 15 members. The program is for people who want to learn new training skills.
“We want all of our students and our staff and our faculty to feel like they have a place…in the (Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex),” senior and trainer Jordy Estrada-Chavez said.
Paul Mellick, associate professor of the Department of Health and Exercise Science, brought the program to campus. Mellick says that the goal of the program is to make a more unified campus effort.
“My dream is to make this a much more holistic approach, and I think that’s true of everybody who’s been involved so far,” Mellick said.
Students who participate in the program are encouraged to become more involved in both their physical and mental health. The Exercise is Medicine trainer assesses their goals and comes up with a personalized fitness plan that spans over a period of six to eight weeks.
Estrada-Chavez and Miller coach first-year Liam O’Malley through a treadmill exercise. The students said that joining the Exercise is Medicine program has been great for both their physical and mental health. (Leila Weah/TommieMedia)
Anna Miller, a senior and student trainer for Exercise is Medicine, hopes that the new campus program grows to draw in new members and possibly groups of friends as well.
“I think if we could open it up to group-based free classes, it’s a group of people who have similar problems or similar goals, we can help them all at once instead of only limiting it to one person,” Miller said.
Estrada-Chavez and Miller encouraged interested community members to be on the lookout for Exercise is Medicine emails from Paul Mellick to get involved — they can do so by reaching out to a trainer and signing up for a one-on-one session.
The free campus program is sponsored by the Dean of Student’s office, the Department of Health and Exercise Science, the Office of the Provost and St. Thomas Athletics.
Leila Weah can be reached at weah7721@stthomas.edu.