OtterFit Program Offers the Best of Both Worlds to Students and Faculty 

Posted Feb 08, 2023

By Erica Bush ’25 

After a brief pause, the OtterFit Faculty and Staff Health and Fitness Program is back in action at Otterbein and is ready to benefit both students and faculty members.  

The OtterFit program is part of two required courses for students majoring in exercise science and health promotion, EXSC 2300: Introduction to Exercise Testing and Prescription and EXSC 2900: Practicum in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. Together, these two courses combine textbook learning with hands-on application of personal training skills. 

For the OtterFit program, students are paired with an Otterbein faculty member and create a workout plan for them, set goals for them and keep track of their progress.  

“Students get a ton of practical experience. They get to be professionals and interact with faculty and staff on campus,” said Megan Stuteville, OtterFit’s faculty advisor. “For faculty and staff, it’s free. They have access to this as long as they sign up.”    

Morgan Hartman, a junior allied health major with an exercise science and health promotions minor, said that she values her OtterFit experience from when she participated in the program during the spring semester of 2021.  

“I liked being able to gain experience. I learn more from a hands-on perspective, so this program was more beneficial and enjoyable for me and gave me more motivation to learn by doing hands-on activities,” Hartman said. 

At the end of the semester after participating in OtterFit and learning about personal training, students take the American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer Exam to become certified personal trainers.  

Marcy Shultz, director of creative services at Otterbein, has participated in the program for several semesters. “Over the years, it’s been an amazing opportunity to work with several student trainers through OtterFit. Not only has my physical health benefitted, but I’ve had the added bonus of getting to know Otterbein students on a very different level.” 

“The trainers have all been such great students who are passionate about fitness. As the weeks go by in the semester program, we both gain confidence — for them as a personal trainer, and for me with staying healthy,” she said.