New Major Highlights the Strength and Flexibility of a Saint Ben’s Degree

NEW MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS Program Spotlight

Saint Ben’s has always been a place where the whole person is valued. Here, women are encouraged and supported as they develop intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically. In the fall of 2020, those segments will intersect more than ever with the launch of a new major: Exercise Science. Exercise Science and Sport Studies has been a minor for many years, and a Sports Medicine minor has been available for even longer. But students’ interests have continued to evolve, and they made their voices heard. Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s listened. After piloting various programs in the area over the past decade, now it’s official. And for the women who complete this degree here, it won’t be just any Exercise Science degree. It’ll be an Exercise Science degree from Saint Ben’s. The distinction is important.

THE STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY OF A SAINT BEN’S DEGREE

Why? This degree leverages what a liberal arts education does best: It considers not just the nuts and bolts of the academic material, but also how that material translates to the real world. It is one thing to be able to read and comprehend scientific literature, but it’s another to be able to translate that into evidence-based decisions that affect people’s lives. “We want students to become clientcentered practitioners,” says Don Fischer, chair of the department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies. “That means being able to really understand and interact with their clients in a way that reflects the Benedictine values of respect for others and listening.” An Exercise Science degree rooted in liberal arts also means an integrated, interdisciplinary approach that adds value to whatever career path a graduate may take – whether it involves research, client care or both. Students will become fluent in their specific area of study (e.g., exercise physiology), but their coursework will also draw from other departments such as Nutrition and Biology. The result, says Academic Dean Barb May, is that graduates “will be better collaborators and thinkers. They’ll embed the lifelong skills of flexible learning and whole-brain thinking that enable them to face any challenge.” This interdisciplinary approach adds value even to those who won’t select Exercise Science as a major. “Any of our preprofessional health students, such as premed, pre-physical therapy or preoccupational therapy, can add value to their studies with this coursework,” says Don.

“We want students to become client-centered practitioners.”

- Don Fischer, chair of the department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies

And they’ll do it in a modern, bright and technologically advanced space in the newly renovated lower floor of the Henrita Academic Building (HAB). All students pursuing an Exercise Science major will start with an introductory course. Designed for first-year students, this course incorporates a career exploration component that will help them identify and test out different subdisciplines with real-world exposure. By the end of their tenure here, they’ll have completed a capstone project focused on either academic research or an internship. Either way, they’ll be ready to enter the field prepared to think, act and serve with integrity and confidence.