Students in the Physical Education and Human Performance (PEHP) program in the historic Kiewit Building at Hastings College will benefit from a new Strength and Performance Center offering high-tech fitness and training equipment. The renovation project, already underway, is funded by individual donors and foundations.
When complete by spring 2021, the center will accommodate weightlifting equipment, high-tech exercise machines and technology for research and athletic development.
The space being renovated in the Kiewit Building was previously the glassblowing studio when the Department of Visual Arts occupied the building before moving to the Jackson Dinsdale Art Center in 2016.
The Hastings College PEHP program has experienced a 77 percent increase of enrolled students over the last five years. By renovating the space, faculty will be able to offer improved student experiences, further grow enrollment and enhance post-graduation success.
“Offering state-of-art equipment and technology allows for better training spaces for career-enhancing fitness certifications and courses in the PEHP program,” said Becky Hamik, assistant professor of PEHP. “We are very thankful for the donors who are making this possible.”
The Strength and Performance Center will also allow faculty to support graduate strength and conditioning certificate programs, including its recently launched Strength and Performance program; youth clinics; continuing education for high school coaches; training for first responders; and potential clinical referrals from local health care providers.
Hastings College is the only Nebraska college in the Great Plains Athletic Conference approved by the National Strength and Conditioning Association for its Education Recognition Program. This allows PEHP faculty to offer graduate certification in strength and conditioning.
Hastings College is Nebraska’s premier private college. A four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement, Hastings’ student-centered initiatives include providing books, an iPad and a two-week study away experience at no additional cost. A block-style semester schedule allows professors and students to focus on fewer classes at a time and promotes hands-on experiences. Discover more at hastings.edu.
