Coloradans—even the new imports—are notorious for their love of all things outdoorsy and active. Here, athletics aren’t just for the sporty people, they’re a statewide expectation. However, in college, it can be hard to find the time to get up and get moving. For CU Denver students, the Wellness Center offers a chance to do that without even leaving campus.
CU Denver’s Lola & Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center features all the usual athletic trappings. Students have access to multiple gym courts, a weightlifting room, a climbing wall, a six-lane pool and a fitness area with cardio and strength training equipment. If students are interested in a more directed workout, there are two group fitness studios, where workout classes are taught. These classes include yoga, strength-based cardio, cycling, Zumba and more—and are free for students to sign up for and attend.
Classes aren’t just focused on athletics.
“We are not just a rec center, we’re a Wellness Center,” said the Center’s Member Services and Marketing Coordinator, Amber Turnell. “So we do have pretty much everything that a traditional rec center would have, but we also have elements of wellness as well.”
The Center defines wellness through seven dimensions: emotional, physical, spiritual, social, environmental, financial and creative.
Wellness is reflected in the Center’s classes, which are not just limited to the aforementioned work out classes. These classes cover topics such as healthy sleep, healthy habits, financial literacy and even freewriting to help promote emotional wellness. They also host Mental Health First Aid, a skills-based training course that helps prepare students to recognize substance abuse and mental health warning signs, as well as how to help people in crisis and non-crisis situations and who to turn to for help.
“We really try to do our best to encompass all facets of wellness in our building, not just physical,” said Turnell.
The facility also has areas geared towards non-physical wellness. The Wellness Suite is home to reflection rooms, a seminar room, a food pantry and the Nook Nap room, where students can get some rest without heading home.
“We are a commuter school, so having a space for students to relax and sleep is important,” added Turnell.
CU Denver’s food pantry—Milo’s Market—helps students stock up on food every week for free. The pantry has a variety of foods for students, from snacks to ingredients to hygiene items. Students have a weekly limit on which items they can pick up, which can be found on the Milo’s Market website, or inside the market.
In addition to Milo’s Market, the Wellness Center also hosts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Navigators every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Navigators are available to help students apply for SNAP, which is a state funded program that can help students get free groceries.
The Wellness Center can also help students get outside—with the Adventure Rental Center, where students can rent outdoors equipment. The Center runs Adventure Trips as well, helping students to adventure outdoors. Trips cover a variety of activities, like skiing, hiking or kayaking. Some trips—such as the Center’s upcoming Moab Spring Break Trip—take students a little further from home.
“It’s not just a gym and it’s not just a place,” said Executive Director Frank Harrison. “It’s also home to many programs and it’s a hub for everybody. It’s kind of a hub of the community.”
With ways to support every kind of student wellness, the Wellness Center has something to offer everyone.
“We have something for everybody, truly,” said Turnell. “You know, if fitness isn’t your thing, we have tons of other things that you can try to be a part of.”
Photos courtesy of the CU Denver Wellness Center.
