04 Broadcaster Press
June 26, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com
Steve Mayer helps USD’s new
wellness center run smoothly
Spotlight
On
By Travis Gulbrandson
travis.gulbrandson@plaintalk.net
By the time the
University of South
Dakota Wellness Center
opened its doors in
January 2011, its director
had already been working
in Vermillion for nearly
two decades.
Steve Mayer came to
USD as the intramural
coordinator of the
DakotaDome and
eventually became
campus recreation
director, a position he
held until his current
role.
The Mitchell native
said his favorite part of
the past 20 years has been
his interaction with the
students.
“Whether it’s the
students that work for us,
or the students that come
in and enjoy the facility,”
he said.
Mayer added the he
himself enjoys “knowing
that we have a showcase
building on campus that
is a great outlet for
students and a great
venue for our members.”
The USD Wellness
Center boasts dozens of
pieces of cardiovascular
equipment, two
basketball courts, two
racquetball courts, one
multi-purpose activity
court, two fitness rooms
and a three-lane jogging
track.
Perhaps the most
memorable feature of the
61 square foot facility is
its 38-foot climbing wall.
As director, it’s Mayer’s
job to see that everything
keeps running smoothly.
“I manage a full-time
staff – a graduate
assistant staff and more
than 100 student
employees,” he said.
He also manages the
facility itself as far as
maintenance, budget and
scheduling.
“It’s been great,” Mayer
said of the past year and a
half. “It’s evolving – I
think we’re still learning
today what’s best for the
students and the
members, but it’s been
very successful.
“I’ve had a lot of
positive comments, and
students that were here
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when they had to work
out at the DakotaDome
realize what they have
now is so much better,” he
said.
Mayer said that he
loves the Dome, but
stressed that it was
designed primarily as an
athletic facility for
hosting practices and
events.
“Students deserved
their own facility that was
open at 5 a.m. to
midnight,” he said. “That
gives them plenty of
options to work out with.
It fits their needs, and it
also fits the different
dynamics of all of our
community members.”
If the weekly swipe
counts are any indication,
both students and
community members are
appreciative of the
facility.
“During our peak
times – January,
February, March – we
were averaging 7,500 to
8,000 swipes a week,”
Mayer said. “Now, in the
summertime, it’s closer to
2,200 or 2,300. We’re
probably in the slowest
period now. Once we get
to August it’ll start going
up again.”
Mayer said he’s looking
forward to it.
For more information
about the USD Wellness
Center, visit
http://www.usd.edu/camp
us-life/studentservices/wellness-center/.
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