Over the past three years, Campus Recreation & Wellness Promotion has gone through one
of the most focused and student-centered upgrades it has taken on in a long time. What
began as a simple question, asking how students actually use the space, grew into a full
revamp of the building’s most popular fitness areas. Today those updates are shaping the
way students train, recover and build community on campus.
Listening First: How the Revamp Began
In the spring of 2023, the Fitness Staff began a detailed look at how students were using the
facilities. They placed QR code surveys in the weight room and cardio deck, tracked
equipment usage every hour for periods of seven to fourteen days, and walked the fitness
areas to see trends in real time. They also spoke with students directly to understand what
helped and what held them back during busy workout times.
One issue came up repeatedly. Students needed more cable and pulley stations. The waits
were long, and the room did not have enough units to meet demand. Working with Matrix
Fitness, the team redesigned the weight room and replaced the previous units with a new
four stack system that created fourteen additional cable stations. The room now offers
thirty-two in the same footprint, and students immediately felt the difference.
Creating More Room to Move
By spring 2024, another trend had become clear. Students needed open space for self
guided workouts. Many had started taking equipment upstairs into the racquetball courts
because there was not enough room in other parts of the building.
That discovery led to a full renovation of two of the courts. The project was approved in the
capital funding request for 2024, and Facilities guided an eighteen month planning and
construction process. The finished space includes new flooring, 60 ft turf strip, and flexible
equipment that supports stretching, mobility, and functional training. Since reopening, the
room has seen a significant increase in students using it for individual workouts with
minimal equipment.
Improving Personal Training and Recovery
As usage increased, the Campus Recreation & Wellness Promotion team realized the
personal training studio also needed updates. The equipment was limited and the layout
restricted trainers and clients. In the summer of 2024, the department partnered with
Torque to rework the entire studio. The upgraded space now includes multi use storage,
new functional training equipment, and a layout that offers trainers more flexibility with
clients.
