The University of Scranton Named Among Nation’s Top 26 Healthiest Colleges

The University of Scranton is the only Jesuit college ranked among “The 25 Healthiest College in the U. S.”

The University of Scranton ranked among the 26 “Healthiest” colleges in the United States in a listing that recognized the nation’s best schools for educating students regarding healthy eating and exercise practices and providing “excellent medical and mental health services and programs.”

Scranton is the only Jesuit university and one of only two colleges in Pennsylvania to be listed.

This is the second time in the past five years that Scranton was ranked among the nation’s “Healthiest Colleges in the U.S” by Greatist.com, an online source for health and fitness information. Scranton was also ranked in its inaugural listing of 25 schools in 2012.

Greatist.com reviewed applications submitted by more than 150 nominated colleges who were noted for having exceptional food, fitness facilities, health services and heath-related programming. The application included detailed information about a college’s dietary options, nutrition, drug and alcohol education programs, fitness facilities and programs and health services.

The Scranton’s dining options for students, provided by ARAMARK, include the Fresh Food Company and other dining options in the DeNaples Center, as well as a P.O.D. (Provisions on Demand) Market and the Mulberry Food Court. Information available about selections is designed to engage students about the foods they eat, offering information about the food item’s place of origin and nutritional value.

The University’s Center for Health Education and Wellness offers a variety of programs that promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle that are open to students, faculty and staff. More than 3,250 students, faculty and staff participated in Weekly Wellness Classes for the 2015-2016 academic year alone. Programs range from meditation and yoga classes to healthy cooking demonstrations to physical activity classes, such as a walking and 5K group, sand volleyball, pick-up soccer games and ballroom dancing.

Scranton’s alcohol awareness programs include AlcoholEdu, an online alcohol education module that first-year students must complete prior to entering Scranton, and the Royal T.A.P.S. (Teaching Alcohol Preparedness for Students) program, which upwards of 97 percent of first-year students attend during their first week at Scranton. The University also offers alcohol alternative social programs on campus, called Late Night at Scranton, throughout the year.

In addition, Scranton’s Center for Health Education and Wellness received a grant from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to fund a Curriculum Infusion project that strives to integrate alcohol prevention content into courses across academic disciplines. At the University, seven faculty members designed and delivered alcohol education content within nine classes reaching a total of 253 students.

The University’s educational outreach programs also include the PACT program, which is a peer-to-peer program that was developed to facilitate an educational conversation between incoming first-year students, upper class students, and graduate students. Teams of three to four students visit the first-year residence halls beginning in September. The conversations facilitated by the teams include the topics of healthy relationships, relationship violence, stalking, sexual assault, consent and campus resources.

Exercise facilities for students include three multi-purpose indoor courts, a three lane 1/10 mile track, a six lane swimming pool, four racquetball courts and a 14,000-square-foot fitness center with 48 pieces of cardio equipment, 26 pieces of Cybex selectorized weight machines, free weights, and a multi-use cross fit station. The fitness center alone logs an average of We are actually averaging 5,666 visits a week. In addition, Scranton has an extensive intramural sports program, currently running 22 leagues each year covering 14 sports. The University also offers 19 varsity athletic teams (D III) and 13 club sport teams covering everything from the traditional sports of basketball, baseball and soccer to equestrian, fencing and crew.

In related, recently published, national rankings, The Princeton Review recognized Scranton among the country’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 4), “Best Campus Food” (No. 11), “Best College Dorms” (No. 17) and “Students Most Engaged in Community Service” (No. 20).

Greatist.com published the 2016 list of “The Healthiest College in the U. S.” Sept. 19.