When Marisa Cunningham applied to Clarion University, she knew she had found the right school, but was waiting on the right major. This year, she found the perfect fit.
Cunningham, now a sophomore, was the first person to sign up for Clarion University's new Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Fitness program. The first classes for this major will begin this fall and to date, 16 students have declared it as their major, said Doug Knepp, Clarion University assistant professor and director of intramurals.
"I want to help people be more fit and stay in shape because I feel that being fit and staying in shape is kind of an issue right now," Cunningham said.
The decision to offer this new degree is based on a shift in health care which places an emphasis on not only treating sick people but preventing illness and diseases in the first place.
Graduates will be qualified for jobs such as a healthy lifestyle coach, fitness and wellness coordinator, personal trainer, nutrition and wellness consultant, weight loss consultant, and careers in corporate and community-based wellness programs such as YMCA Silver Sneakers and Highmark Healthy U.
Cunningham plans to use her degree to become a dietician. She said her cousin graduated from another State System school with a degree in the nutrition field. Cunningham considered going to that school for that major but really had her heart set on Clarion. Then a Clarion University recruiter told her the B.S. in Nutrition and Fitness program was in the works, so Cunningham spent the last two years fulfilling her general education requirements and waiting for the degree to be finalized.
"I can't wait. I just want to start main classes," Cunningham said.
Cunningham said the B.S. in Nutrition and Fitness program is creating buzz at other State System schools.
The combination of nutrition and fitness makes this program unique. Knepp said nobody else in the State System is offering this type of program. The program's core classes include a variety of nutrition and fitness courses, social and behavioral science courses, as well as courses that deal with exercise and overall wellness.
Clarion University assistant professor Carol Brennan-Caplan helped design the curriculum for this program over the course of a year, in part, by researching other programs. She said other schools in the State System either offered nutrition or fitness degrees, but not both in one program.
The program also seems to mesh with Clarion's surroundings.
Cunningham, who is from St. Mary's, said Clarion's rural setting was appealing to her as someone who runs two to three miles every day. She said it's one of the reasons why she chose Clarion; it felt like a home away from home.
"Clarion has the perfect scenic location for people to stay in shape," Cunningham said. "There are sidewalks everywhere which makes it easy for anyone to go on a run or walk."
Cunningham said she also enjoys playing volleyball with her friends. "So when my friends and I have the chance, we like to go out in the grassy open area, or over at Reinhard (Villages) and get a little game going with a bunch of our friends!"
Cunningham was recently hired to work at the Student Recreation Center for the fall, which is fitting for someone who enjoys being active and has chosen a B.S. in Nutrition and Fitness as her major.