Students in higher education now more than ever want to see state-of-the-art equipment at their campus recreation centers. Luckily for scholars at Harvard University, the Malkin Athletic Center and Hemenway Gymnasium have been furnished with Peloton equipment since 2018.
“We first purchased Peloton for the classes that coincided with the bikes, but we have really enjoyed the new types of classes that have diversified on-demand offerings,” said Andrea Lapointe, the senior associate director of Athletics, Recreation. “There’s such a large variety of classes — lengths, instructors, difficulty levels — that there really is something for everyone.”
Below, Lapointe details working with Peloton, its benefits to users and more.
Campus Rec Magazine: Why did you decide to purchase equipment from Peloton?
Andrea Lapointe: As on many college campuses, our members — especially our students and faculty — have all sorts of different time demands placed on them. We wanted our members to have the luxury of taking a class when it was most convenient for them.
CRM: How does Peloton equipment benefit your members?
AL: The Peloton Bikes have provided us with the opportunity for students and recreation members to take group-based fitness classes when it’s most convenient for them. We have received fantastic feedback from our members, especially through the early pandemic when we didn’t have the ability to host group exercise classes in our spaces. We have increased our number of bikes and have put them in multiple facilities based on this feedback and schedule flexibility.
CRM: What else can you tell other rec center professionals about the benefits of working with Peloton?
AL: Peloton has provided our members with an on-demand option that still allows them to connect with others while they work out. This has been so beneficial for our members that we have considered bringing some of the other machines to our campus and will continue to evaluate the need for this.
For more information, visit business.onepeloton.com/solutions/education.
