Discover how the University of West Florida and Augustana University use incentive programs to drive student engagement, foster healthy competition and increase participation in campus recreation.
Incentive programs are simple yet effective ways for campus recreation centers to encourage students to get active and to keep them coming back. Whether it’s tracking miles or attending group fitness classes, these challenges aren’t just fun — they encourage consistent participation from students and promote lasting engagement.
One school offering a variety of incentive programs is the University of West Florida. The Recreation and Wellness Department offers three different fitness programs — each designed to appeal to different interests and skill levels to reach more students.
“Our programs are designed to help students learn the value of consistency, celebrate personal milestones and integrate fitness into their daily lives,” said Jennifer Johnson, the senior assistant director of Fitness and Wellness at UWF. “The goal isn’t to just increase participation but also to foster a positive relationship with physical activity that can extend beyond college.”
The first incentive program UWF implemented was Argo Fit, where students track workouts using fitness monitors. Once they reach 30 workouts, they receive a prize — previous examples include UWF tee shirts, shaker bottles and coolers.
After this program’s success, Johnson said her department decided to add two more programs to complement Argo Fit while offering more targeted approaches to fitness. Recognizing the importance of both strength and aerobic exercise, her department developed the Argo Weight Club and Cardio Crusade.
In the Argo Weight Club, students compete to join one of six weightlifting clubs — starting at 200 pounds and going up to 1,200 pounds — based on their total weight lifted in bench press, deadlift and squat. The top lifters get their spot on the leadership board, creating a healthy challenge for weightlifters.
Cardio Crusade is a semester-long challenge encouraging students to reach 125 miles using cardio machines like treadmills, bikes and stair climbers. The program helps participants build endurance while working toward a concrete goal.
These programs aren’t just opportunities for prizes — Johnson said they’ve been proven to be effective in increasing student engagement at UWF. “The clear structure and goal-based nature of the programs provide added motivation for participants, especially when paired with incentives,” she said.
Another department offering incentive programs is Augustana University’s Recreational Services with its Get Fit program. Every week students are eligible for a different prize provided by other campus groups or local businesses.
Augustana University Rec Services also offers the Dog Eat Dog Program in partnership with Housing and Residence Life. This program encourages healthy competition between resident hall floors and encourages students to engage with their peers. Each floor competes in different intramurals and activities with Rec Services throughout the semester to become the “best floor on campus” and win a spot on their leadership board.
Logan Haak, the director of Recreational Services at Augustana University, said their incentive programs have been very successful in encouraging student engagement with campus departments and their peers. His advice? Be consistent with your programming and prizes to build trust in the department.
When developing these types of programs, Johnson said student feedback played an invaluable role. The planning process involved assessing the fitness interests of students, looking at participation trends and finding easily trackable and inclusive programs.
Feedback also helped UWF evolve programs. One example she noted was when her department expanded their weight classifications in the Argo Weight Club to make the program more accessible to more participants. Students also expressed interest in shorter challenges, resulting in UWF Fitness and Wellness developing day- and week-long fitness events that require less commitment.
“Listen to the feedback and always remain flexible,” said Johnson. “Be open to change, and don’t be afraid to adjust or evolve your programs based on participation and student input.”
By tailoring programs to student interests, incorporating feedback and celebrating progress with rewards, both UWF and Augustana University have created more than just a reason to work out — they’ve built a system to encourage consistent engagement. It’s not just about short-term wins but about helping students develop lifelong habits. With programs that evolve with their students, both campus rec departments showcase how incentive-based fitness can be both effective and empowering.
