Education

2005 National Fitness Institute Attendees Savor Chicago, Sharpen Skills

Institute attendees enjoyed dinner with a skyline view from Lake Michigan.

DePaul University in Chicago welcomed the 2005 National Fitness Institute, presented by NIRSA, as forty-nine Student and Professional Members met to brainstorm and strengthen their programs with the help of fifteen presenters and twenty educational sessions. For a relaxing antidote to the action-packed program, the group enjoyed a dinner cruise on Lake Michigan, sponsored by Nautilus.

Comments from the event evaluation included:

• "The NIRSA Fitness Institute provided an excellent opportunity to network with colleagues in the field and share ideas for fitness programming. The presentations were outstanding and provided me with ideas and tools to use in working with my fitness staff. I highly recommend this conference to anyone working in the fitness field!"
• "The Fitness Institute gave me the opportunity to meet colleagues in the university fitness profession and allowed me to gain valuable information from them that I will be able to utilize in my position."
• "The NIRSA Fitness Institute offered a great mix of practical, hands-on sessions, along with administrative sessions for the fitness professional. It was also a great place to meet others involved with fitness at their universities and learn what their programs are offering. I would highly recommend it to others."

Attendees practicing skills for sports specific training. Photos by Valerie McCutchan.

Grateful acknowledgements go to the DePaul University Campus Recreational staff, including Maureen McGonagle, Gale Stewart, Chris Arterberry and Jeff Sessine, and to the program committee: Jennifer Speer, chair (University of Texas at Austin), Mila Padgett (Oakland University), Yvette Kell (University of Nevada), and Joana Pabedinskas (Arizona State University). The valuable assistance of Rich Fabri (University of Maine) in securing sponsors and speakers is also greatly appreciated.