Wellness is an integral part of campus life at Cedar Crest College, with a commitment to health and well-being woven throughout the entire campus community.
Cedar Crest is one of only 193 universities and colleges worldwide honored by Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus. EIM is a community-impact initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
That work comes to life through the College’s Exercise is Medicine on Campus® (EIM-OC) program, a campus-wide physical activity and wellness initiative that brings together faculty, staff, and students, along with departments and committees like the Employee Well-Being Committee, Office of Student Engagement, Health Services, and the Health Sciences Department.
Throughout the year, the program offers opportunities for the Cedar Crest community to make movement and wellness part of everyday campus life, from Pickleball and Field Day to Walking Club and Fitness Assessment Day.
The national recognition reflects Cedar Crest’s intentional, institution-wide approach to wellness and the work of faculty, staff, administrators, and student leaders to create meaningful opportunities for the campus community to prioritize their health and well-being.
“We’re proud of the recognition, but we’re even more proud of the culture we’re building where wellness is everyone’s responsibility,” says Dr. Dianne Babbitt, Chairperson & Associate Professor of the Health Sciences Department.
EIM-OC encourages universities and colleges to promote physical activity as a vital sign of health and to bring campus communities together to improve health and well-being.
At Cedar Crest, however, the goal goes beyond individual events. It’s about helping students and employees develop habits that can support their well-being long after they leave campus.
“We hope participants come away with the understanding that wellness is a lifelong journey, but small, consistent choices can have a meaningful impact on overall well-being,” says Dr. Babbitt. “We want students and employees to feel empowered to prioritize their health and utilize available resources to engage in physical activity.”
About Cedar Crest College
Cedar Crest College has been empowering women to smash glass ceilings and achieve their educational goals since 1867. Today, the College continues to open the doors to opportunities for its diverse student body, both in the undergraduate women’s college and in the co-ed School of Adult and Graduate Education. Located in Allentown, Pa., Cedar Crest is recognized among TIME’s America’s Best Colleges 2026-2027, ranked by U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best College Rankings as #16 in Social Mobility, is among the top 100 colleges and universities in the region, and is ranked by Newsweek among the top 28% of all colleges nationwide for benefiting women.
About Exercise Is Medicine
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) co-launched Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) in 2007 with the American Medical Association. ACSM continues to manage the global health initiative, which seeks to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in clinical care, connecting health care with evidence-based physical activity resources for people everywhere of all abilities. EIM is committed to the belief that physical activity promotes optimal health, is integral in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions, and should be regularly assessed and included as part of health care. Visit www.ExerciseisMedicine.org for additional information.
About the American College of Sports Medicine
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national, and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org.