In higher education we often talk about the importance of helping our students adjust to life on our campus. In order to meet this need, we as practitioners at WIU focus on first-six week programming. We do this because our research has shown that students who get involved in the first-six weeks of the semester are more likely to be retained. However, most of the time we are only directing these programs, resources, and support for our first-year experience students. This intervention is rooted in the idea that transfer year students are in need of programming designed specifically for them and their transition into a new institution. Amaya et al. (2019) said, “Executive leadership, faculty, and staff are becoming more aware of the impediments that undermine student success metrics like sleeplessness, anxiety, stress, depression, eating habits, lack of activity, and poor coping mechanisms”. It is critical that we as practitioners help remove some of these barriers that are in the way of our students succeeding and provide them support and resources to accomplish their goals. That is why I believe this intervention is necessary and can be utilized for each new incoming transfer class. As Fink et al. (2016) says, "Student affairs practitioners are well positioned to develop interventions, programs, and services that support students’ holistic transition to the new university”.

When designing this program it was important to keep in mind what gap was needing to be filled in order to enhance the experience of transfer year students. The idea of physical wellness came directly from Chickering’s seven vectors. Chickering’s seven vectors were developed in 1969 and look at how development leads to the forming of one's identity (Patton et al., 2016). This program was influenced most specifically by the first vector which is developing competence. Patton et al. (2016) suggest that “Physical competence comes through athletic and recreational activities, attention to wellness, and involvement in artistic and manual activities”. With this idea in mind, this intervention will allow transfer students to explore wellness and find new ways to integrate recreational activities into their daily routine. This intervention was designed with the intention of helping students develop as they work through each of the vectors.

At the completion of Well-come to Western: Exploring Physical wellness transfer students will….

Demonstrate five (5) new exercises to promote physical competency

List at least three (3) resources available on campus to promote physical wellness

Identify one (1) way to incorporate physical wellness into their personal goals

Well-come to Western: Exploring Physical Wellness was created with Universal Design (Scott et al., 2003) in mind to ensure students of all abilities are able to participate in the intervention. The following is a look into the specific principles that are used in this intervention…

Principle One (1) - Diverse Abilities

This intervention will take place at the same time but will have high-impact and low-impact versions to ensure that all students will be able to benefit from the program. Co-facilitators and a functional trainer will also be available to help transfer students navigate the intervention based on their individual needs.

Principle Two (2) - Flexibility

Students have the opportunity to engage in exercises using both dumbbells and bodyweight only based on their comfort level. Students will have the chance to opt in and out/change the intensity of the workout throughout the duration of the program.

Principle Three (3) - Easy to Use

This program is designed to ensure that students do not need any prior knowledge of physical wellness or exercise techniques. The program is designed for all transfer students to explore physical wellness.

Principle Seven (7) - Size & Space for Approach & Use

Fitness studio west was intentionally selected in order to ensure that all students wanting to participate are able to without harming themselves or others. Registering for the event is also mandatory to ensure that there is enough space inside the fitness studio for each student and that enough equipment is reserved for the program.

Principle Eight (8) - Community of Learners

Students are able to interact and communicate with each other and the staff members of different offices on campus including Recreation Center, University Housing and Dining Services, and Student Development and Success Center.

Principle Nine (9) - Instructional Climate

Recreation Center is a centralized location on campus and students are asked to all enter from the same side of the building that is accessible to all. Additionally, stairs and the elevator are available for students to access the basement level where fitness studio west is located.

We as higher education practitioners know that students being a part of a community, engaging in physical activity, and participating in programming is good for their adjustment to college life. Therefore, combining these three will allow for transfer year students to find ways to connect with resources on campus, integrate physical wellness into their personal lives, and engage with students with similar lived experiences.

Part One:

Well-come to Western: Exploring Physical Wellness will begin with a brief presentation co-facilitated by staff from Student Development and Success Center, Recreation Center, and University Housing and Dining services. The members of each department will do a brief introduction before students are then asked to talk through their understanding of physical wellness and use of the recreation center. The presentation will last no more than ten minutes and will be an informal conversation that includes ways to incorporate physical wellness into their personal goals, resources that are available such as group fitness classes, along with office hours/ways to connect with the staff members after the intervention is complete. This presentation will not only help the facilitators understand who is in attendance but also help the students better understand what support is available to them during their time at Western Illinois University (WIU). A one-page informational sheet will be provided at the end of the intervention that recaps all the information that was discussed during the presentation allowing students to complete the second learning outcome of Well-come to Western: Exploring Physical Wellness.

Part Two:

After the presentation, students will grab the equipment required to engage in the intervention and be asked to find a space throughout the room to safely participate in the activities. Recreation Center employees known as “Rocky’s Rec Crew” will also go around and be sure there is enough space between each participant before we begin. This step in the intervention should take no longer than five minutes to complete.

Part Three:

The next part of the intervention will be the part where students are able to directly demonstrate physical wellness which is described in the third learning outcome. This will be a hands-on experience where students will workout together in a shared space with their community while listening to music. The facilitators will demonstrate and explain each exercise as the program progresses and Rec Crew members will be walking around the space to answer any questions or to help students as needed along with the functional trainer. This portion of the intervention will be 30 minutes from start to finish.

Part Four:

The intervention will end with a brief recap of the intervention, passing out the informational page from the presentation, answering any questions the students may have, asking students to take a brief survey about their experience, and sanitizing all equipment used. The ending of the intervention will take no longer than fifteen minutes and will ensure that all learning outcomes were reached.