Shenandoah Recognized For Creating Culture Of Wellness On Campus

Shenandoah University is one of 153 universities and colleges around the world to be honored by Exercise is Medicine for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus.

Programs such as the EIM On Campus (EIM-OC ) Month Challenge, Vital Signs Assessment and Referral, and SUFiT training all helped Shenandoah earn Gold-level designation. Shenandoah also earned EIM’s COVID Conqueror badge, a new honor given to campuses that demonstrated creative adaptations to physical activity programming during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the Fall 2020 semester, the Exercise Science Department debuted a course titled “Exercise is Medicine” that provides academic credit for participating in the planning and implementation of EIM-OC Month in October. In addition to running the annual EIM-OC Month Challenge, students maintained social media accounts highlighting information on physical activity and health and promoting campus fitness classes and events. They also worked with staff at the local Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center to develop digital content for the Next Steps medical integration fitness program. You can follow SU’s EIM program on social media @shenueim.

Exercise is Medicine aligns with the mission of the Exercise Science Department at Shenandoah University, to promote the benefits of physical activity for mental and physical health and well-being. We are so proud that the efforts of our faculty, students, and many incredible partners across Shenandoah’s campus have been recognized at the Gold-level designation.”

Jessica Peacock, Ph.D. | Associate professor of exercise science and SU EIM-OC leadership team advisor

Of the 153 campuses recognized this year:

• 73 received gold
• 59 received silver
• 21 received bronze

All gold, silver and bronze universities and colleges will be officially recognized in June as part of the 2021 virtual Exercise is Medicine World Congress, held in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting.

We are thrilled to recognize these campuses’ commitment to make movement a part of daily campus culture and equip students with tools to cultivate lifelong physical activity habits, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Robyn Stuhr | Vice president of Exercise is Medicine

Exercise is Medicine (EIM) was co-launched in 2007 by The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association. The global health initiative 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-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 students’ physical activity and refer students as necessary to a certified fitness professional as part of medical treatment.

View a complete list of recognized schools and learn more about the EIM-OC program.