Health and Exercise Science Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Chrissy Chard, associate professor and the recipient of the CSU Faculty Institute for Inclusive Excellence Diversity Impact Award, believes there are many opportunities to invite inclusion into education, starting with examining who are considered experts in the classroom. When it comes to curriculum, she considers which authors are being brought into the conversation, and what kinds of media, making sure there are a diverse set of voices represented. She also looks at how interactions and lessons with students convey inclusive principles, making sure to prioritize inclusive language, starting from the syllabus and carrying through in every communication that she has with students. Dr. Chard creates community agreements with students, something they can reflect on and use to guide them through deeper or tougher topics. She values students’ lived experience as a form of knowledge and expertise.

Molly Gutilla, assistant professor, teaches epidemiology, research methods, and data analysis courses in public health. Dr. Gutilla believes learning about health equity is central to public health education and working within a community is the key to making positive changes that support health for all. In the classroom, she works with students to co-create inclusive learning environments since students do their best learning in environments where they feel a sense of belonging. Here teaching and learning philosophy prioritizes the importance of the application of material to the larger system in which students are living, learning, and working. While much of the content within epidemiology is technical, her goal is for the micro to translate into the macro and be used to save and improve lives, illustrating that health is a human right.

Using the lens of social determinants of health to explore and discuss health inequity

Kathy Hutcheson, senior instructor, provides her students in HES 355 Integration of Health Behaviors the opportunity to learn about the different Social Determinants of Health, such as economic stability, education access and community. Social Determinant of Health are factors that impact the health of a community that is often beyond the control of their own personal choices. Students discuss how Social Determinants of Health influence health and health inequity for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) and people that are members of the LGTBQ+ community, who are often the most impacted by these factors.  They also discuss how individual and institutional discrimination can impact health behaviors and access to healthcare.

Kimberly Burke, an instructor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science and the director of the Adult Fitness Program, provides a student learning environment as well as health and fitness access for the community of CSU through Adult Fitness. Employees of CSU, as well as those in the greater Fort Collins area of all adult ages and backgrounds are welcome to join the program. As a dual outreach and educational program, students get hands-on experiences in their area of study, and members of the program get individualized exercise programs tailored to their needs and abilities created by the students, helping many underserved adults get access to quality personalized training.

Brian Butki is a senior teaching assistant professor, director of the department’s summer Youth Sport Camps, and a first-generation college graduate. Dr. Butki is interested in promoting health and well-being among children and families, especially as it relates to physical, emotional, and social wellness. The CSU Youth Sport Camps are the centerpiece of an inclusive, friendly, wellness-based program designed to promote lifelong wellness activities. Everyone is welcome. Children and families of all ethnicities and abilities can benefit from participation in healthy lifestyle activities, and we strive to help everyone experience the positive and diverse benefits of physical activity. A scholarship donation program ensures that youth from all socio-economic backgrounds can participate in the camps. The Commitment to Campus program offers discounts to CSU faculty and staff families.

Cameron Phillips, director of the Noon Hour Fitness program, assists staff, faculty, and retirees of CSU in discovering and achieving healthy lifestyles. The program strives to respect, honor, and value individual differences between its diverse clientele, and makes sure each person is treated with dignity, care, and respect. The Noon Hour program promotes on campus opportunities for all CSU employees and retirees to engage in lifelong activity and wellness, as well as creates a learning environment through the mentorship of HES practicum students and work study students from across campus. The program is also proud to mentor special needs community members to assist in obtaining job and life skills.