Grand Canyon University welcomed about 500 high school students on Mar. 31 during its first Exercise Science and Nutrition Day, where attendees explored hands-on labs and lectures focused on athletic training, nutrition, and health sciences.
The event aimed to introduce local high school students to careers in exercise science, sports medicine, and nutrition by allowing them to participate in interactive activities led by university faculty and students. The initiative is a revival of Health Sciences Day, which the university previously held until more than a decade ago.
During the event, pre-physical therapy student Jerome Zito demonstrated splinting techniques for simulated injuries while GCU athletic training students supervised groups of aspiring trainers. In other sessions, visitors learned about sports nutrition basics, made trail mix in the Fuel Lab, toured occupational therapy facilities, and attended talks such as “Sports Medicine Team: Who’s Who on the Health Care Team?” led by Dr. Cindy Seminoff. Seminoff said about opportunities for internships or shadowing during high school: “They see how interested you are. How can they turn you down?”
Associate professor William Kuehl discussed eating habits with attendees during his session “The Power of Food: How to Talk (and Think) About What You Eat,” advising moderation with snack foods: “It’s called mindless eating,” he said.
Students also visited the POWER Lab—Performance Optimization, Wellness and Exercise Research—where undergraduate researcher Colton Reger demonstrated cardiac output monitoring equipment called PhysioFlow. Reger explained his research into chronotypes and exercise timing: “It’s just a really cool opportunity to actually demonstrate what you know… It’s really cool to get the experience and actually use that and help other people learn.”
According to the official website, Grand Canyon University operates as a private Christian educational institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as nursing, business, healthcare, education—and provides both on-campus and online learning options—as well as support based on Christian values. The institution has received high rankings for its nursing program along with campus life according to Niche.com.
Alumni like Chelsey Gonzalez returned as educators at this event; Gonzalez remarked upon seeing many familiar faces among participants but was also “astounded by how much the campus has changed.”
Events like Exercise Science and Nutrition Day highlight GCU’s ongoing commitment to practical education experiences that prepare students for careers in health-related fields.
