Eckerd College’s Campus Recreation “Fitness with Faculty Week” invited professors and students to join yoga classes at the Fitness Center. Despite offering a variety of times and dates, the yoga classes saw low attendance numbers.
Dr. Cristna Delano, an assistant Spanish professor, attended the April 7 afternoon yoga class after being invited by a student. Only one student ultimately attended alongside her and the instructor. The following Thursday, attendance increased slightly but remained limited, with four students joining professors Amanda Hoffman-Hall, environmental studies professor and Sarah Lyle, psychology professor.
Hoffman-Hall said that a student joked she had signed her up for CrossFit, but then realized it was a yoga session instead. She then invited her “academic best friend,” Lyle, to join her. Another faculty member, Professor Totten, also attended the session.
“One of my students mentioned that she saw that I was signed up for yoga, but I don’t know where she went,” said Lyle.
While turnout remained low, organizers emphasized the intention behind the event. Dr. Delano noted that programs like this have the potential to strengthen connections across campus, even if participation is still growing.
The classes were led by Mateo Kest, a freshman in business, who said the program was designed to create a more relaxed and accessible space for interaction between students and faculty. “I think it’s a really cool idea,” Kest said. “It gives people a chance to connect in a different environment outside the classroom.”
Kest, who comes from a family of yoga instructors, said yoga can offer benefits beyond physical activity. “There’s a lot of stress right now, and yoga helps people slow down and be present,” he said.
“I really appreciate the open nature of the space, it feels comfortable,” said Lyle, agreeing with Hoffman-Hall that it offered a welcome break in the day. The two professors agreed that they wanted to make it a regular part of their Thursday routines, and that the lack of students didn’t deter them.
Even with its limited turnout, “Fitness with Faculty” reflects a broader effort by Campus Recreation to create new forms of student engagement on campus, though student participation remains a challenge.