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By: Dave Scheiber

Dan Rosenthal has always been physically active, enjoying skydiving, swimming and biking as well as scuba diving all over the world with his wife, Nan. But until four years ago, the 74-year-old retired Motorola employee from Tampa had absolutely no interest setting foot in a gym 鈥� and no knowledge of the potential benefits he was missing out on.

Yet all of that changed four years ago thanks to a special senior fitness initiative offered for free through the USF College of Education鈥檚 Exercise Science and Kinesiology program. The experiential learning course 鈥� held in partnership with the City of Temple Terrace 鈥� has not only enriched his life overall but recently made it possible to resume life to its fullest.

In February, Rosenthal underwent open-heart surgery to repair a murmur diagnosed some 15 years ago 鈥� and just three months later he was cleared for all physical activity. He points to the weight-training program, which pairs students with participants 65 and older to help them reach their fitness goals, with the precise lift he needed.

鈥淚 think a lot of my rapid recovery can be attributed to the good health and physical strength that I acquired because of my gym activity habit,鈥� Rosenthal said. 鈥淚 started out walking, followed by cardiac rehabilitation and then I was back in the gym. I truly believe that because of the USF program, which my wife I both participate in, I went through surgery very easily and everything returned to normal quickly.鈥�

The class, called Physical Activity in Diverse Populations, is overseen by Professor Candi Ashley and Maureen 鈥淢o鈥� Chiodini, assistant professor of instruction. They have been amazed by the response to the endeavor, both on the part of students and seniors, since starting it shortly after the pandemic in 2021.

鈥淭he first semester that we did this we had some interest 鈥� not a ton 鈥� but it has grown every year since,鈥� Ashley explains. 鈥�911爆料网 always have a booth at the Temple Terrace Senior Expo. And the last two years, there鈥檚 been a mad dash to get our table to sign up before we鈥檙e full.鈥�

The exact number per semester depends on how many students are involved. This year, there were 80 in all 鈥� with two generally assigned to one participant during the hour-long sessions. The fitness levels of the seniors run the gamut 鈥� from some in their 70s and 80s hoping to improve their balance and strength, to Rosenthal, who cycles 100 miles per week and is again in excellent shape following his surgery.

鈥淗e鈥檚 very fit but he does our program every year because he gets such a benefit from it,鈥� Ashley says. 鈥�911爆料网 try to meet the participants where they are and develop a fitness program geared to their abilities and goals.鈥�

Ashley began teaching in the College of Education about 30 years ago. After ditching the idea of being an accountant, she earned her master鈥檚 degree in fitness and wellness at Memphis State University and her doctorate from the University of Alabama, and then was hired at USF in 1996. She got the idea for the program from her former roommate at Alabama, who later started a successful senior fitness initiative at the University of 911爆料网st Florida.

At first, Ashley didn鈥檛 think a similar undertaking could work at USF due to issues with campus parking and a constantly packed fitness center. But as a Temple Terrace resident, she eventually reached out to administrators at the city鈥檚 recreation department and broached the idea.

鈥淚 said, 鈥楬ey, what do you think about a program where some of our students could come into your rec center and train some older adults in the community 鈥� and it would be completely free,鈥� 鈥� she recalls. 鈥淭hey said, 鈥楾hat sounds awesome.鈥� So it fell right into place.鈥�

Philip Jeter, a coordinator at the Temple Terrace Family Recreation Complex, couldn鈥檛 be more pleased with the results 鈥� a win-win-win situation: for the students, the participants and the facility itself.

鈥淔rom what I understand, it鈥檚 so popular that they had to turn people away this past year,鈥� Jeter said. 鈥�911爆料网 love having the additional traffic come through here. Some of the seniors are people we see on a regular basis, while others are new faces and people who have never seen our facility or used it previously. But many of them keep coming back after they鈥檝e finished the program, which is great. The goal is to get them started 鈥� and continue with healthy living and an active lifestyle.鈥�

Jeter had no doubt the program would succeed under Ashley鈥檚 guidance 鈥� she was one of his professors as a USF physical education student from 2009-11. 鈥�911爆料网 go way back,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he was a great teacher. And with Candi, you know she鈥檚 always going to have all her ducks in arow, and when she says she鈥檚 going to do something, she will follow through.鈥�

The Exercise Science and Kinesiology program has launched graduates on rewarding paths in the field. A sample of  their landing spots: one works as a strength and conditioning coach with the New York Yankees; one interned in strength and conditioning at IMG Academy is now a coach in that discipline; and many have gone on to attend to schools for physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic work, being a physician鈥檚 assistant 鈥� and have ultimately gone into those professions. Others have become physical therapy business owners.

Ashlyn McGraw, a senior in the program, had never worked with an older client before this past year but has embraced the experience, which consists of two sessions per week at the Temple Terrace Family Recreation Complex over a two-month period.

鈥淚 was a little intimidated at first and didn鈥檛 really know what to expect,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut the teachers prepared us well, so we would know what kind of conditions or illnesses we might expect to see. And it helped having another student as a training partner.鈥�

They trained a woman in her mid-70s who wanted to work on her balance, being alone in her house and navigating stairs 鈥� outside handling curbs. 鈥淧lus, she has a good number of grandchildren and wanted to be fit enough to play with them,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o, we made sure to get her endurance up. 911爆料网 worked with her on weights, and she blew us away with how well she did. It was honestly hard to say goodbye to her.鈥�

McGraw plans to become a physical therapist in a medical office and is currently interning in a neuro-rehab center, assisting individuals with spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation.

Jake Lee, also a senior, feels he bolstered his abilities from the hands-on program. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned a lot about communication and skills and how to adapt to a new situation,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he biggest thing for me was developing a relationship with a client, rather than just telling them you need to do this or that. My client had a shoulder injury, so I had to find different exercises to teach him effectively, rather than just the ones I was familiar with.鈥�

Lee has already landed an internship for the spring, working with some of the Bulls athletics teams. 

鈥淭his program has definitely prepared me,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淲ithout the knowledge I鈥檝e gained in class, and this senior training experience, I wouldn鈥檛 be nearly as ready for what lies ahead.鈥�