SLU Receives Healthy Campus Honor

05/15/2018

On Thursday, May 3, the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) recognized 21 colleges and universities, including Saint Louis University, which have implemented rigorous guidelines to stand out among their peers.

The award recognizes the strides SLU has made toward implementing rigorous campus wellness standards. Submitted photo

The guidelines range from healthy wellness meal offerings to easy access to water, and include more diverse opportunities for physical activity.

The University was recognized at the PHA’s Innovating a Healthier Future 2018 Summit in Washington, D.C.

During the multi-year commitment to the Healthier Campus Initiative (HCI), SLU has taken a collaborative, interdepartmental approach to enhancing its campus environment. The approach has included working with the campus community to complete nutrition assessments with registered dieticians, providing intramural sporting options for students, faculty and staff, and other steps to encourage healthy living.

Each college or university partner involved in the HCI committed to meeting 23 of 41 guidelines within three years. The guidelines were developed by PHA in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading nutrition, physical activity and campus wellness experts.

All of SLU’s commitment elements were verified by an independent third party and are publicly reported in PHA’s annual progress reports.

SLU is part of the first cohort of colleges and universities to join the Partnership for America’s Healthier Campus Initiative.

Although the University’s three-year implementation period is over, Eric Anderson, director of campus recreation, said that SLU will continue to work to make campus a healthier environment supporting overall wellness.

“It's like the saying on the NIKE running poster," Anderson explained, “‘here is no finish line,' so we will continue to look for ways to support the mind, body and spirit of our students.”