Key takeaways:
- The Exercise Science program needs employee volunteers to serve as “clients” for senior-level student trainers.
- Weekly sessions run 8-9 a.m. Tuesdays beginning the week of Sept. 14.
- Participants receive pre- and post-program fitness testing to track progress.
For Exercise and Sport Sciences students, working with someone they don’t already know provides an important opportunity to translate classroom learning into practical experience.
All Exercise Science students have the opportunity to serve as student trainers during their senior year, said Jason Casey, Ph.D., associate professor of Exercise Science.
“We greatly value these opportunities because they allow our students to apply what they learn in the classroom in a supervised, practical setting while developing the skills and confidence they will need as future exercise and healthcare professionals,” Casey said.
The program began recruiting University employees as volunteer clients in spring 2024, giving students experience working with people who bring a wider variety of needs and fitness goals. Casey estimates that about 10 to 20 employees have volunteered each semester since then.
Students put their knowledge to work
Exercise Science major Kayla Johnson, who plans to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree after graduation, said the experience helped her connect what she had learned in previous courses with the realities of working with a client.
“It not only gives us an opportunity to apply our learning but allows us to work with other students and staff to help them reach their fitness goals,” Johnson said. “I would absolutely recommend anyone thinking of signing up to go for it.”
Students begin by learning about each client’s goals and conducting baseline fitness testing. They use that information to develop a personalized training program. At the end of the program, they repeat the testing to measure progress.
Amanda Schwengal, assistant director of photography and video, has volunteered for the program several times, most recently in spring 2025. She said the experience helped her build strength while learning techniques she could continue using on her own.
“My trainers, Brody and Gavin, brought insights from their own experiences as MSU Denver baseball players and pushed me beyond what I thought I could do while creating a safe, supportive environment,” Schwengal said. “I left the program stronger and more confident, with a much better understanding of strength training and how to incorporate what I learned into my daily life.”
What to know
Volunteers will work with a pair of senior Exercise Science students enrolled in EXS 4780. Key details to note:
- Eight weekly sessions: Participate in personalized, one-hour training sessions 8-9 a.m. Tuesdays.
- Week of Sept. 14: Complete pre-program fitness testing.
- Week of Nov. 16: Complete post-program fitness testing.
- All training takes place in PE Building/Event Center Room 111B.
Student trainers bring different levels of personal training experience, but their work is part of a supervised senior-level course designed to bring together skills they have developed throughout the Exercise Science curriculum.
Volunteers make a 10-week commitment that includes pre- and post-program fitness testing and eight one-hour personal training sessions.
Respondents will be contacted with additional information about the opportunity.
