Barry University is one of only 156 universities and colleges around the world to be honored by Exercise is Medicine® for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus. Drs. Amasay and Papadakis created the Barry Exercise Science Student Association (BESSA), which was focused on the Exercise is Medicine on Campus (EIM-OC) initiatives and also on improving the health and well-being of Barry’s faculty, staff, and students by promoting physical activity.
Since 2018, the EIM group, with the help of the CNHS and the SES, organized and participated in a variety of activities that provided students the tools necessary to strengthen healthy physical activity habits that can last a lifetime by promoting and generating awareness of the health benefits of physical activity.
In addition, Barry’s health care providers were connected with health fitness specialists from SES and provided a referral system for exercise testing and prescription. Moreover, these BESSA and EIM activities led to several published abstracts and posters that were presented at regional Texas chapter of American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Southeast ACSM, Greater New York ACSM and national ACSM.
Such guided activities helped the Sport and Exercise Sciences Programs, earn bronze level designation from the Exercise is Medicine® On Campus (EIM-OC) program. Robyn Stuhr, Vice President of Exercise is Medicine said, “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. 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.” SES with the CNHS support is committed to continue working on initiatives and activities that promote exercise for optimal health.
It should be noted that EIM-OC launched its recognition program in 2014 to honor campuses for their efforts to create a culture of wellness and schools earn gold, silver or bronze status based on their activities. Of the 156 campuses recognized this year, 73 received gold, 60 silver, and 23 bronze. Barry University, CNHS, and SES department will be officially recognized on June 1, 2022 as part of the 2022 Exercise is Medicine World Congress, held in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. Dr. Papadakis and a group of students will be attending this conference to present undergraduate and graduate research from the Human Performance and Motion Analysis Center Laboratories and on behalf of Barry University, CNHS, and SES will also receive the award.