CIU students focus on healthy lifestyle

CIU students focus on healthy lifestyle

CIU Health Fair push-ups.
CIU Health Fair blood pressure check.

Daniel Richards has his blood pressure checked by CIU Nurse Sally Kennedy. (Photos by CIU Student Photographer Caleb Pringle)

By Ireland Kost

CIU Student Writer

Columbia International University Dean of Students Rick Swift is biking on a virtual road through the Rossi Student Center. Nearby, members of the Air Force are cheering on students who are doing sit ups. Meanwhile, somehow through it all, a gentle therapy dog is napping. The CIU Health Fair is in full motion encouraging students to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The Heath Fair is hosted each semester by CIU’s Health Services and Student Life departments. A highlight of the fair is always the pet therapy station. Maggie the therapy dog calmed anxious thinkers and relaxed mid-term nervous test-takers.

Some students checked in with CIU nurse Sally Kennedy to have their blood pressure tested while vision screenings were also offered. The American Red Cross was on hand encouraging students to volunteer.

Dean of Women Donna Thompson handed out healthy snack samples such as banana chips, sunflowers seeds and mandarin oranges.

Lisa Lanpher, director of the Academic Success Center staffed a “Relaxation with a Purpose” display. Coloring sheets with Psalms were free for students. One student won de-stressing slime in a bottle to play with to get through the rest of mid-terms week.

Sophomore Brittany Bailey found it a time to decompress and relax.

“I think that for me, coming in here and just getting to pet the dog and just getting to go to the different tables helped me relax a little,” Bailey said.

“I think that as students we get busy with life and assignments and forget that our mental health, and health in general is something we need to be taking care of,” added junior Andrew McNeill.

Columbia International University ranks #1 among colleges and universities in South Carolina by BestColleges.com. Excitement is growing on campus with the new $20 million William H. Jones Global Business & IT Center and CIU’s first baseball program. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.