Each year brings new monthly themes to the calendar, offering valuable opportunities to engage with your student community in meaningful ways. However, this also brings the challenge of selecting programming that resonates with your audience without unintentionally excluding groups. Striking this balance requires thoughtful planning and a clear focus to maintain the integrity of your offerings.
A key strategy is to keep your programming fitness-focused. While social media can be a great platform to acknowledge non-fitness-related awareness days, monthly themes should remain centered around health and wellness.
Here’s a quick month-to-month guide to awareness themes and how you can integrate them into your programming effectively in the spring semester.
January: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
This day is often best recognized through social media, honoring King’s incredible achievements and the love and unity he brought to the world. While it may not be a day centered around hosting major events, it’s still an opportunity to align programming with his values.
On most campuses, MLK Day is a holiday, meaning no classes are held. To maintain engagement, continue offering fitness classes on this day and promote them well in advance to boost participation. Alternatively, consider hosting a small, themed event later in the day to accommodate students who may travel for the long weekend.
Design your event around themes of peace, love and unity — values embodied by King. For example, a yoga or meditation session focusing on mindfulness and community could tie in beautifully. These programs can serve as a powerful way to honor King while promoting wellness and inclusion.
February: Black History Month, American Heart Month and Valentine’s Day
Though February is the shortest month, it’s packed with monthly themes. These opportunities can promote health and wellness while celebrating important ideas.
Black History Month
This month provides a meaningful opportunity to educate your campus community about the state of wellness and fitness within black communities. Highlight disparities and successes in health and wellness through social media campaigns, speaker events or partnerships with student organizations. Additionally, consider programming that raises awareness of health conditions disproportionately affecting black communities, such as heart disease.
American Heart Month
This theme complements Black History Month by addressing heart health, a critical concern in many black communities. Collaborate with your campus health center or staff to host blood drives, heart health screenings or educational workshops. These events can increase awareness and encourage preventative care among students.
Valentine’s Day
February 14 offers a lighter, more playful opportunity to tie into the “matters of the heart.” Host an event or set up a tabling station where instructors or students can spread love through small giveaways, notes of encouragement or fitness challenges. To expand on the theme of love, partner with campus therapists to offer workshops or discussions on healthy and unhealthy relationships, emphasizing self-care and emotional wellness.
March: Women’s History Month
March is the perfect month to engage your female participants and promote fitness programming that highlights empowerment and wellness. Consider offering women-only gym hours or hosting classes that focus on strength, confidence and female empowerment.
April: Earth Day
April showers bring Earth Day, a perfect opportunity to incorporate environmental awareness into your programming. Encourage your student coaches to volunteer their time for community service projects, such as organizing a campus clean-up or participating in local sustainability efforts.
Having instructors engage in activities like picking up trash or other hands-on environmental work not only serves as a fun team-building experience but also highlights the importance of keeping our planet clean. This collective effort can inspire your fitness community to connect with the environment and emphasize the importance of sustainability in their daily lives.
May: Mental Health Awareness Month/Sports and Physical Fitness Month
May is an exciting time in the fitness and wellness space. As you wrap up programming for the semester and approach graduation, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the year’s achievements while preparing for new beginnings.
Consider hosting a large-scale event, such as Fitness Festivals, Yoga in the Park or Fitness Field Days. Take your programming outdoors — whether it’s through outdoor adventures, group workouts or activities in a scenic field — to engage your participants in new and exciting ways.
Additionally, focus on team bonding activities to celebrate the end of the year. These can include group challenges, wellness retreats, or collaborative fitness events that bring both current and new team members together. This fosters a strong sense of community and sets a positive tone for the upcoming semester.
