Two-thirds of the American adult population is overweight or obese, a condition that increases the risk of developing cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Confronted with the challenge of improving their health, more and more Americans are turning to fitness – and TLU is there to help answer that challenge.

Texas Lutheran’s kinesiology specialization in exercise science and sports and fitness management is producing an increasing number of highly-skilled, well-respected professionals. In fact, kinesiology is the university’s second largest department with about 175 majors, a majority of whom are specializing in the fitness field.

Dr. James Newberry, professor of kinesiology and chair of the department, described TLU’s kinesiology major as a broadranging one where more and more students are working to help people in all walks of life who are trying to become fit.

“The number specializing in exercise science has exploded,” Newberry said. “About three-fourths of our majors focus on fitness, and an increasing number go on to graduate school.”

Dane Boyle ’03 and Erin Borchers ’07 work with the public at the Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center.

“Kinesiology is based on science, and our students must have a strong science background. In fact, many of our students double major in kinesiology and biology because so many hours of biology are required.”

Newberry pointed to the intensity of the kinesiology program, especially for those who wish to specialize in exercise science and sport and fitness management. He explained, for example, that the exercise science specialization requires a minimum of 14 hours of biology, eight hours of chemistry and eight hours of physics.

During their final semester, students at TLU take their ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) certification exam – the “gold standard” of the fitness world – and become ACSM certified. When they graduate, they are ready to move into positions of responsibility in the fitness world, working in commercial fitness centers, hospital and community wellness facilities, corporate fitness amenities, and expanded programs for youth and children.

Because the students are prepared and have completed internships, employers are eager to have them. Dane Boyle, ACSM, community wellness director at the Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center, has had several interns from TLU – and if he has a position open, he hires them after they graduate. Currently three TLU kinesiology graduates work at the Center.

“I have worked with many students, and those from TLU have a broader knowledge base. I think that is because the level of expectation there is much, much higher,” Boyle said. “TLU is hard. It takes work to get through it and that builds strength and confidence. And if you can pass the ACSM exam, it says a lot about your background – you’re not going to pass the ACSM exam without a strong background in biology and physiology.”

Successful graduates
Boyle, who graduated from TLU in 2003, credits the professors and the small class environment. “I think the students’ interaction with the professors, whether it is in the classroom or the laboratory, pays huge dividends in the long run. I really, really do.”

Newberry emphasized the need to educate everyone about the importance of fitness. He pointed out that TLU requires all students to complete a contemporary wellness course as part of the core curriculum.

“It has never been more important for a person to learn how to stay healthy,” Newberry said, “and educating the public is our only hope of solving the health care crisis.”

He noted that there is a growing interest in physical and health education in the public schools due to the obesity and type 2 diabetes crisis, and that TLU graduates can help with the education process.

Erik Silvius ’94, Dana Robbins ’08, and Pete Silvius ’98 work with Seguin’s sixth graders to instill a love of physical activity.

Two TLU alumni who are teaching physical education in Seguin have won awards for their innovative program to make students healthier. Erik Silvius ’94 and his brother, Pete Silvius ’98, have transformed physical education at the Joe F. Saegert Sixth Grade Center by incorporating a variety of activities including rock climbing, canoeing, archery, swimming, roller skating and golf.

“Lifelong wellness should be the goal of P.E. at this age, and this is the make or break age where kids can really turn off of physical activity,” Pete said. “We have a lot of competition now with video games – activities that are very stimulating but are very sedentary. So what we have to do is try to hook kids with things that offer just as much excitement.”

When two openings became available at Saegert six years ago, the brothers, both teachers with interests in fitness and education, jumped aboard and combined their interests in sports, outdoor activities and the well-being of children. The school had a bus that transported the students to the Outdoor Learning Center in Seguin, and the Silvius brothers expanded the program using the bus to transport the children to various venues in Seguin.

“Our goal is to have a program that has as many different things offered as possible, because if you just do one thing it doesn’t hold the kids’ attention. So we try to do as many different things as we possibly can,” Erik said.

Mandated testing
When the state mandated fitness testing, the Silvius brothers wanted to be proactive to address the needs of students, tapping into technology to stimulate their interests.

“Texas leads the pack in the decline of physical activities and increase in obesity, and testing shows that our kids are not as fit as we want them to be,” Pete said. When they thought about how to take their students to the next level of fitness, the Silvius brothers called upon their TLU mentor Dr. Bill Squires, professor of biology and kinesiology, to partner with them to establish a model and a fitness center on the campus of the Saegert Center (see related story).

With donated equipment, the fitness center is taking shape to join the growing list of activities available to Saegert’s sixth graders.

For example, Pete had the idea of adding a swimming component, since both he and Erik had been certified swim instructors since their days at TLU. They contacted Dr. Squires and TLU’s campus recreation director, Debbie Roberts, and made arrangements to bring the students to the university campus.

“Everyone thought it was crazy,” said Erik. “‘How are you going to take a class of sixth graders to swim and get them back to class on time?’ Well it did work – so much so that part of the advertising the school puts out is about our swimming program. Now the town expects it.”

Word of the Silvius brothers’ accomplishments is spreading beyond Seguin. In 2005, they won the “Program of the Year Award” from the Texas Outdoor Education Association, and last year Erik was named 2007 Fitness Professional of the Year by the Texas Association for Health, Physical Recreation, Recreation and Dance. Though the honor went to Erik, he said 50 percent of it belongs to Pete.

“So we received some good recognition, and that opens doors for us to expand our efforts to help our students,” he said.

Because of the incidence of obesity in childhood and youth, the Silvius brothers feel strongly that it is important to instill in their students not only an understanding of what they can do in Seguin, but also the mindset that they can be a winner.

“We always have kids come and tell us that they’ve hated P.E. every year until this year,” said Pete. “And that doesn’t speak to us as individuals, but it speaks to our program. Not every kid likes every activity, but we have so many different things at different facilities that it opens up a lot of opportunities for success.”

Natalie Gingrich ’99 manages one of USAA’s corporate fitness centers.

Adult fitness
Another TLU graduate, Natalie Shafer Gingrich ’99, is involved in corporate fitness. For the past five years, she has worked in the wellness department at USAA and now manages one of the three USAA fitness centers in San Antonio. With a kinesiology degree and a sport and fitness management specialization, Gingrich said the business courses she took at TLU have been extremely beneficial.

She is essentially running a business – a 50,000 square foot fitness center with 6,000 members, all USAA employees from 18 to 70 years old. Gingrich has five people who work in her facility, and there are 15 people working in the company’s fitness centers in San Antonio. Her job includes marketing the fitness program to get more people to enroll – and to get people to come more often.

“Because our population is so large, we offer everything – from self-defense to kick-boxing to salsa classes. We do fitness assessments and create individual programs for our members. We’ve made it extremely affordable, and we provide clothing, shampoo, conditioner, everything you need but your shoes. We do as much as we can to get our members in, even if it is just for 20 minutes. There is so much research that says 20 minutes a day is what we need to keep healthy.”

And the enormous health benefits are Gingrich’s passion. While a kinesiology major at TLU, Gingrich said that Dr. Squires guided her to an internship at NASA. It was there that she was introduced to the clinical aspect of kinesiology. Now at USAA she is able to help people change their health – and their lives.

“Cancer, obesity, heart disease, diabetes – exercise is fabulous to address those things,” she said. “Every day I talk to people who tell me what a difference exercise has made in their lives!” ♦