Student groups and organizations can get personalized programs to help with fitness and wellness needs through the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. 

Through the Custom Fitness and Wellness Programs, the Rec allows groups to create and design fitness and wellness workshops and classes to cater to their specific needs. 

The programs are private classes or presentations designed for specific groups. Custom programs are ideal for groups wanting private or specialized instruction. They are also great for team building and corporate retreats, according to the program’s website. 

All programs are set up through Beth Michel, the fitness and wellness coordinator at the Rec, and groups and organizations work directly with Michel to create their program.  

“We usually create a lot of programs for organizations on campus, but we do have the ability to create programs for both groups within the university and outside of it. We really base all of the programs off of what groups need and go from there,” Michel said. 

Most of the programs the Rec creates are custom fitness classes such as yoga, Pilates and Zumba, Michel said. All classes are done through Rec certified instructors and any equipment needed for the program is provided. 

Some groups the Rec has recently created programs for on campus are the Honors College, CHAARG and the LGBTQ+ Center. 

The Rec helped create and manage a walking club for the LGBTQ+ Center. The program was six weeks long and met every Monday from 3-4 p.m. at the upstairs track at the Rec center.  

Along with physically walking around the Rec, the program also included presentations on how to get the most out of a walk and also walking meditation. 

“The walking group is a great way to connect students and also support students. Our organization is starting to focus more on wellness, and this was a great way to include physical wellness,” said Ken Ditlevson, director of the LGBTQ+ Center.  

Programs, which typically last around 60-75 minutes in length, tend to focus on fitness, wellness and nutrition and can accommodate around 35 to 40 participants.  

The cost to attend a program is $40 for students, $60 for members of the Rec and $75 for non-members. The programs can be done at the Rec or an outside location. 

“We are pretty flexible and want to make sure groups get what they are looking for. We do anything from presentations to actual group fitness classes,” Michel said. 

All programs are created through collaboration. Groups come to Michel with their needs and she works with them to create the customized programs. 

“Our walking club was created through a lot of collaboration with the Rec center. We had this idea and they were able to help us bring it to life and also add more,” Ditlevson said. “This was our first solid connection with Rec and we are excited to see what more we can do with them in the future.” 

Any group that is interested in creating a custom fitness or wellness program can do so by visiting the website or by filling out the online request form.

Kenzie Johnston covers fitness and health. Contact her at [email protected].