As part of their course curriculum, junior and senior kinesiology majors are conducting health evaluations for students and faculty.
Assistant professor of kinesiology Jonathan Oliver said the evaluations are beneficial for everyone.
“These are being done to assess the current health of a person as well as to assess their current fitness level,” Oliver said. “This includes their body composition, muscular strength, endurance, flexibility as well as their cardiovascular response to a cardiorespiratory test.”
The evaluation process can take up to two hours. After the initial evaluation, clients receive their results via email, Oliver said.
“It does not give them a prescription,” Oliver said, “but it does give them suggestions about what they need to change.”
For the kinesiology majors, “this is preparing them for a clinical type position after school,” he said.
Zach Knippel, a recent alumnus of the kinesiology program, said he would have appreciated the opportunity to conduct these evaluations when he was a student.
“So much of the department was research and book smarts,” Knippel said. “In the real world everything is hands-on. It’s not about tests and studying. It’s about how we interact with people, how we apply our knowledge and how we use it to help change lives.”
Oliver also said the assessments are designed to help students prepare for clinical-type positions after school.
“[These] help kinesiology students who want to do cardiac rehab or something similar to that,” Oliver said. “It also translates to those who want to be in athletics because some of these tests are similar to athletic fitness tests as well.”
“So far, students and faculty have responded enthusiastically to the opportunity,” Oliver said. Eight appointment times were available and all spots have already been filled. The evaluations will be conducted Nov. 18-20 in the University Recreation Center.
“The students conducting the evaluations are nervous to work with different clients,” Oliver said, “but they are excited to get the hands-on experience.”