Hillsdale College women learned about fitness and wellness opportunities on campus during the second annual “Sun-Up, Rise-Up” event on Sept. 9. 

“It seems like taking care of our bodies is the first thing to go when we get busy with homework and class and all those extra to-dos,” Dean of Women Rebekah Dell said. “So the goal of ‘Sun-Up, Rise-Up’ was to just educate women, but also then provide hands-on opportunities, just to test things out to see what you might like.”

The Dean of Women’s office, McIntyre and Olds resident assistant teams, Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Women’s Administrator Nikki Walbright, and the Ladies in Fitness Training Club partnered to put on the event. Attendees toured the Roche Sports Complex and Founder’s Gym, listened to a talk from Walbright on nutrition, and sampled workout classes. 

“Sun-Up, Rise-Up” started last year as a series of four separate events that were combined into one day this year. Instructors gave 15-minute samplings of their classes and informed attendees about how to stay involved as the semester continues. According to Dell, the emphasis of the event was building community and educating women on how to perform at their best.

“By integrating fitness as a community-building activity on campus, then that’s enhancing that sort of moral and social learning and strengthening our bodies so we can fulfill our mission in what we’re called here to do, which is to learn and go forth and serve,” Dell said.

Students were able to try classes such as cycling, self-defense, pilates, barre, lifting, and yoga. These classes are all currently taught on campus, either at the sports complex or at Founder’s Gym. The administrators of the event also provided the attendees with free pre-workout snacks and gifts. 

“I love watching Becky Waters teach self-defense to the students,” said Stephanie Gravel, associate dean of women. “I think that’s just a great experience and good for the students to know that they can be trained in that way.”

Dell said she likes to give the students context for what they are doing so they feel comfortable going to the fitness facilities.

“Hillsdale is definitely very rigorous academically, so I think it’s important that we know what’s available for us to have a break, because not only do we need to work our minds, we need to work our bodies and take care of them,” freshman Rachel Franke said.

Junior Joanna Leckband, LIFT secretary and Total Fit instructor, said part of the event’s purpose was to help women on campus realize that fitness can be fun and social. 

“I hope girls learn that exercising is really fun, and it’s not always a chore, and it doesn’t have to be embarrassing,” Leckband said. “It’s much better if you do it with a friend. This event is a really great opportunity to learn about all the spaces and to see what’s available and have fun along the way, which is a really important part of it.”