INDIANAPOLIS – Ivy Tech Community College challenged 400 faculty, staff, and students in the Central Indiana Region to “Step up their activity” with an engaging, interactive fitness program through Virgin HealthMiles.

Ivy Tech began this interactive challenge by recognizing the importance of physical activity and realizing that college faculty and staff have primarily sedentary work. The benefits of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity have been demonstrated to improve both physical and mental health. This challenge was created to improve the physical and mental health of Ivy Tech’s faculty, staff and students. This 10 week program included the use of a pedometer and an online system which allowed employees to track all the different types of physical activity as well as their activity intensity levels.

“When we first started I just wore it to establish my current baseline, I was averaging fewer than 2500 steps per day.  Since the beginning of March, I average 8,282 per day.  This program came at a time in my life when I had determined to do something to correct my lifestyle,” said employee Lisa Lindh.

During the course of the pilot challenge, there were 4 individual challenges to keep employees motivated in addition to a friendly challenge between the Central Indiana employees and the Central Office Employees. The winner got to “bring home the trophy.”

“At the conclusion, the group celebrated their increased activity levels and better physical and mental health,” said Ivy Tech President Tom Snyder.

The conclusion of the challenge had great results. The total steps equaled up to 132,667,283 and the actual miles equaled up to 53,495 miles or 400 times across Indiana. The total calories burned at the end of the challenge equaled up to 4,650,000 calories or 16,666 hamburgers. 

Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public post-secondary institution and the nation’s largest singly-accredited statewide community college system with more than 200,000 students enrolled annually.  Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana.  It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana.  It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.