“If you really want to know whether students come first at EKU, just step inside this beautiful new facility,” said Glasser, speaking at dedication ceremonies for the Center, located just north of Roy Kidd Stadium. “It speaks for itself. And what it says, loud and clear, is that we are interested in and committed to developing the total individual at Eastern.”
The Center, which opened to students in late July and has since opened to a limited number of faculty and staff, features a 10,000-square-foot weight and fitness area that includes the latest in exercise equipment: more than 30 cardio machines, a full line of Nautilus machines as well as numerous plate-loaded and free-weight options. It also includes a four-lane indoor track, a multi-purpose gymnasium, a group exercise room, and locker and shower facilities.
“Just as we prepare our students to be successful in many walks of life, this facility is about fostering a campus-wide interest in total wellness,” Glasser said. “That includes physical fitness, but it also includes curtailing or eliminating unhealthy lifestyle practices. This facility exists to excite our students about the need to nurture their bodies at the same time that they nourish their minds … and to impress upon them the connection between the two.
“Much as we strive to engender in our students a love of lifelong learning, we also want them to develop healthy lifestyle habits that will endure long after they graduate.”
Student Regent Lance Melching, who served as emcee, called the facility a “long-time dream come true. My only regret is that I won’t be around campus much longer to enjoy it. But it’s heartening to know that countless students for years to come will benefit from this Center.”
Dr. James Conneely, vice president for student affairs, also spoke.
“It is our desire to present students with a variety of healthy alternatives for their leisure time,” Conneely said. “This facility is a tremendous complement to our ongoing and equally important health education efforts.”
The Fitness and Wellness Center was specifically funded, designed and developed to assist with student recruitment, retention and health education programming. In addition, to help offset operational expenses, all students are being assessed a per-semester fee earmarked for the Center.
