What’s got eight legs, four hearts and game? Answer: the Salus Athletic Committee. Besides scheduling
intramural sports, committee members spend time and effort communicating with the Salus community in person and via surveys to determine what sports their fellow students would like on campus.
Committee members – Michelle Ciancia ’18AUD; Christi Gonzales ’19OD; Derrick Arrington ’19OD and Arezo Pirzad ’19OD – meet every Thursday to discuss whatever scheduling challenges may have arisen (especially during basketball and volleyball season); the budget, what needs to be completed for the next sport program, and what communications need to go out to the Salus community.
The committee falls under the purview of the Office of Student Affairs and their advisor is Admissions officer, Christopher Speece. Participants are not limited to Salus students according to the committee. Salus faculty and staff as well as Hafter Student Center members are also welcome.
Although all committee members are active, only Michelle Ciancia played college sports (basketball and cross country during her undergrad days at Penn State). Christi Gonzales didn’t play organized sports in college, “only flag football.” She also played a variety of sports in her high school days. “I like to be active and I think, as a first-year student, it’s a good way to meet other students and to stay active,” she said. Arezo Pirsad didn't play organized sports in high school, but did play tennis, hike, and ski. “I also love watching sports. I went to the University of Oregon, so I'm a big college football fan as well, she added.
The personal lives of Salus students are somewhat time-challenged given the amount of classes, labs and clinical work they each have. Acknowledging these challenges, the committee agrees that “you have to budget your time” to make it all work. Graduate school can be intense and at times overwhelming. Sports can be one way to alleviate the stress. Intramural sports at Salus has grown over the past six years from pickup basketball games in the gym to a student organization with an infrastructure, high campus visibility and organized teams and playoffs. While basketball and volleyball are the biggest draws currently, the committee is always considering new sports. If you have suggestions or requests for later this season and in the upcoming academic year, email
athletics@salus.edu.
