USC Aiken Recognized by Exercise is Medicine for Efforts to Create Culture of Wellness on Campus
USC Aiken Among Record 166 Campuses Honored Worldwide
Aiken, SC (03/25/2020) — The University of South Carolina Aiken is one of only 166 universities and colleges around the world to be honored by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise is Medicine® initiative earlier this month for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus.
"This is a fantastic step toward improving the health and well-being of our community, and it couldn't have been accomplished without the support of the entire campus community," said Mila Padgett, director of the Department of Campus Recreation & Wellness.
"This status reinforces our ability to work as a team toward a common goal of providing our students with a well-rounded approach to their overall health."
The Department of Campus Recreation & Wellness' holistic approach helped it achieve this distinction.
Instituting the Physical Activity Vital Sign (PAVS) within the Student Health Center and Counseling Center helped USC Aiken earn gold level designation from the Exercise is Medicine® On Campus (EIM-OC) program.
"One of the vital components of earning gold is that the Student Health Center and Counseling Center view and encourage exercise as a valued component to physical and mental health and well-being," Padgett said.
In addition to the PAVS implementation, a variety of free programs for students were included in the Exercise is Medicine initiative at USC Aiken:
- One-on-one EIM fitness assessment and exercise program development
- PacerFit weekly workouts
- Group fitness classes
- Fitness-on-Demand video exercise classes
- Events focused on educating on the importance of exercise and a healthy lifestyle
- Intramural programming
- Special events with student organizations on campus, such as PUB Hip Hop or working with sororities to host a yoga class.
- Events that focus on the impact of prevention measures and the value of being proactive, especially related to exercise, nutrition, stress management, sleep habits, and hydration
- Guest speakers in academic classes and within the residence halls who talk about the impact of exercise on overall health and well-being
Of the 166 campuses recognized this year, 77 received gold, 62 silver and 27 bronze. All gold, silver and bronze universities and colleges will be officially recognized on May 27 as part of the 11th World Congress on Exercise is Medicine, held in conjunction with ACSM's 67th Annual Meeting.
Dr. Brian Parr, an exercise and sports science professor and co-chair of the university's Healthy 4 Life committee, will accept the award at the National ACSM conference this summer.
"We are thrilled to recognize these campuses' commitment to make movement a part of daily campus culture and give students the tools to cultivate physical activity habits that will benefit them throughout their lives," said Robyn Stuhr, vice president of Exercise is Medicine.
"These campus programs are nurturing future leaders who will advance a key tenet of Exercise is Medicine: making physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in health care."
EIM-OC calls upon universities and colleges to promote physical activity as a vital sign of health and encourages faculty, staff and students to work together to improve the health and well-being of the campus community.
EIM-OC launched its recognition program in 2014 to honor campuses for their efforts to create a culture of wellness. Schools earn gold, silver or bronze status based on their activities. Gold level campuses have created a referral system where campus health care providers assess student physical activity and refer students as necessary to a certified fitness professional as part of medical treatment. Silver campuses engage students, faculty and staff in education initiatives and make movement part of the daily campus culture while bronze level campuses promote and generate awareness of the health benefits of physical activity.
View a complete list of recognized schools and learn more about the EIM-OC program at https://www.exerciseismedicine.org/support_page.php/eim-on-campus/.
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About Exercise Is Medicine
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) co-launched Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) in 2007 with the American Medical Association. ACSM continues to manage the global health initiative, which seeks to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in clinical care, connecting health care with evidence-based physical activity resources for people everywhere of all abilities. EIM is committed to the belief that physical activity promotes optimal health, is integral in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions and should be regularly assessed and included as part of health care. Visit www.ExerciseisMedicine.org for additional information.
About the American College of Sports Medicine
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org.
Media Attachments
The University of South Carolina Aiken is one of only 166 universities and colleges around the world to be honored by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise is Medicine® initiative earlier this month for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus.
