Research has shown that college students tend to be unhealthier when they leave college than when they entered. Southern Adventist University is actively fighting that statistic, helping students at the very least maintain their level of fitness over the four years of college. Data shows that the program is working.

Southern Adventist University strives to not only prepare students for the life mentally, socially, and spiritually, but also physically. As freshmen, students take Fitness for Collegiate Life, then have the freedom to take courses that range from backpacking to tennis to scuba diving, learning new, fun skills to stay active. 

To give students the tools to be well-rounded, healthy employees as they enter the workforce, they are required to enroll in Fit for Hire before graduation.

According to Judy Sloan, professor in the School of Health and kinesiology, Fit for Hire was designed to help students ask themselves questions like “What am I doing to maintain my health?” and works to give them the tools to answer those questions.

This class is the culmination of Southerns’s general education fitness requirements.  

“Fitness for Collegiate Life lays a strong foundation of taking care of your physical health, while Fit for Hire promotes continuance and helps students to work to make improvements,” Sloan said.

Fit for Hire features many local employers as guest speakers who Sloan hopes will give students valuable perspectives on life and the workplace.

“I felt like the class provided me with sound career advice that will help me as I graduate and begin looking for jobs,” said Brandon Beneche, senior English major. “Learning about what employers are looking for in employees was valuable, and I’m glad I had that opportunity.”

Students may also take advantage of a certification that comes with the class by completing additional health requirements. This fitness certification bolsters a student’s resume by showing employers they are mentally, emotionally, and physically better prepared for a work environment.

Altogether, this fitness program teaches and empowers students to maintain a life of health and kinesiology