Glendale Community College is one of only 149 universities and colleges around the world to be honored for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus.

This marks the ninth year that GCC has earned this recognition through Exercise is Medicine, which named the school as a Gold Campus.

GCC has an active Fitness & Wellness Department and Employee Wellness Program that includes fitness centers, a sports performance lab, an Olympic-size swimming pool, outdoor tennis courts, racquetball courts, and running track. These facilities plus student, faculty and staff involvement helped GCC earn gold level designation from the Exercise is Medicine On Campus (EIM-OC) program.

“We are proud that health and wellness is embraced by many campus departments at GCC, including nursing, counseling and nutrition that guide students to make healthier choices and also encourage individuals to visit our campus Fitness & Wellness facilities,” GCC Faculty and Personal Trainer Program Director Louise So stated in a news release.

GCC was one of 73 colleges to receive gold level recognition. All universities and colleges will be officially recognized in June as part of the 2023 Exercise is Medicine World Congress, held in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting.

The GCC Exercise is Medicine-On Campus Leadership Team members include So; Dr. Grace Paul, DNP, RN, CNE, health care professional/department chair-nursing; Dr. Aaron Fried, health fitness professional/certified athletic trainer; Justine Frazini, student representative; and Carter Goodson, student representative.

EIM-OC launched its recognition program in 2014 to honor campuses for their efforts to create a culture of wellness. Schools earn gold, silver or bronze status based on their activities.