October: Exercise Is Medicine® Month at Purdue University Northwest
Dear PNW Faculty, Staff, and Students:
I am pleased to announce October as Exercise Is Medicine® Month at Purdue University Northwest. Since 2021, our university has been recognized by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for promoting its global Exercise Is Medicine® – On Campus (EIM-OC) initiative.
In 2023, our commitment to campus wellness and the presence of the PNW Center for Healthy Living earned us the designation of an Exercise Is Medicine® Silver Campus.
Physical activity is linked to a wide range of health benefits, including reduced risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension and type II diabetes, and improvements in mental health and overall well-being.
Throughout October, we will host 16 fun and engaging events to promote physical activity and wellness across campus. The full schedule of events can be found at Exercise is Medicine® On Campus – Integrative Physiology and Health Sciences (IPHS) Center. Whether you are a student, faculty member, or staff, there is something for everyone!
See PNW Exercise Is Medicine® Events
A key objective of Exercise Is Medicine® is to encourage current and future healthcare professionals to view physical activity as a vital sign, just like heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. This starts with three simple questions:
- How many days per week do you engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity (like walking fast, running, jogging, dancing, swimming, biking or other activities that cause a light or heavy sweat)?
- On those days, how many minutes, on average, do you exercise?
- How many times per week do you do physical activities or exercises to strengthen your muscles?
This year, the EIM-OC Leadership Team includes:
- Matthew Ladwig, Ph.D., Director of PNW EIM-OC and Assistant Professor of Integrative Human Health
- Jodi Allen, D.N.P., RN, FNP-C, FNP Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Nursing
- John Bobalik, Exercise Physiologist and Limited Term Lecturer
Additional faculty supporting Exercise Is Medicine® Month include:
- Andrew Skibski, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Integrative Human Health
- Hassan Naji, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Practice in Integrative Human Health
- Ezra Mutai, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Food and Nutrition
- John Durocher, Ph.D., Nils K. Nelson Endowed Professor of Integrative Human Health
I want to express my appreciation to the EIM-OC Leadership Team, supporting faculty and staff, and everyone involved (including the participants) in this important initiative. Together, we are working to make movement a part of our daily campus culture and to equip students, faculty and staff with lifelong habits of physical activity and wellness.
Sincerely,
Marie T. Mora, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs