Going to the gym can be intimidating. If you’re not used to working out, the weight-lifters, the treadmill sprinters or the various machines can feel so out of reach. At Union, however, there has been a driving push to intentionally make the gym more accessible and approachable.
The first step towards accessibility was building the new Wellness Center, which opened on Aug. 19, 2024, and is located where the previous library used to be in the Penick Academic Center.
When Ivy Adkisson, the director of campus recreation and student life, started designing the new Wellness Center, she knew that many of the students were intimidated by the old one and weren’t likely to utilize the facilities especially if there was a sports team using it.
With this in mind, Adkisson chose to create a space that is welcoming to students of every level of activity and incorporates well-being into fitness as the central focus for each student.
“I believe that physical well-being and your well-being in general is important for you to create healthy habits,” Adkisson said. “Why would I not create an inviting space that does that?”
Some may not realize there is a group fitness studio located in the back left corner of the Wellness Center which provides free walk-in classes for students and faculty to enjoy. Whether they are college athletes or walking into the gym for the first time, the classes are suitable for any level of fitness.
There are two different group classes currently being offered; a spin class and a yoga class. Tristan Kelly, a senior exercise science major with a Christian studies minor, and Bailey Hughes, a senior digital media communications major, are the spin instructors. Allie Housman, a Union alum who works for Union HR, and Tammy Patton, an associate professor of social work at Union, are both yoga instructors. All the instructors are highly welcoming to newcomers and eager for classes to fill up.
“I would love for anybody who is even a little curious to come and try it, and hopefully feel welcomed,” Housman said.
There are multiple different times each class is offered throughout the week:
Spin classes are currently held on Mondays at 7 a.m., Tuesdays at 11 a.m., Wednesdays at 3 p.m. and Thursdays at both 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Yoga classes are held on Mondays at 5 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:40 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:15 a.m.
The yoga classes at Union not only offer relaxation, stretching and meditation but also give students the opportunity to engage in quiet time and spiritual reflection.
“She [the instructor] encourages us towards prayer while we’re in the more quiet moments of the class to meditate on the word,” Emily Heflin, a junior history major with a double minor in Spanish and professional education said. “A lot of times, she starts or ends class with a prayer, which is a great way to reset and refocus, like the purpose of the exercise.”
Not only are the instructors focused on fitness, but also the well-being of each student, including spiritual and physical, which emphasizes the true goal of the new Wellness Center.
According to Adkisson, the old Wellness Center could hold about 100 students, but the new space can hold around 530. The space is much more welcoming, spacious and more attractive for the general population of students at Union and has become a place for individual and group fitness.
“It [the yoga class] is more like encouragement to, try to be better each time,” Ellie Hardwick, a freshman elementary education major, said. “There’s no pressure to do it perfect the first time.”
In addition to the classes being offered, there is also a running club, which meets on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. at the Buster Statue.
Intramural sports are also being offered through campus recreation, including spike ball on Feb. 24, soccer on Feb. 25-March 18, flag football on March 20-April 10, sand volleyball and tennis on April 10-15, and co-ed kickball on April 17. Intramural sign-up deadlines can be found at the link in UU Rec’s Instagram bio.
For updated times and dates and more information, visit https://www.uu.edu/studentlife/campus-recreation/wellness-center/ or UU Rec’s social media @uucampusrec.
