By Kaylee Alivo
The Department of Health and Human Physiology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences hosted the 4th annual Hawkathlon on April 12, 2025, at the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center (CRWC).
Originally launched in 2022 as part of an HHP students independent study project, Hawkathlon has grown into a signature experiential learning opportunity where students apply classroom knowledge to real-world community engagement.
Created by former HHP student Emily Zimmer with mentorship from HHP associate professor of instruction Bri Swopeand senior director of well-being at Iowa Erin Litton, Hawkathlon provides students with hands-on experience in event planning, adaptive recreation programming, volunteer coordination, marketing, and participant support. Today, HHP students continue to organize, manage, and promote the event each year, developing leadership, communication, and operations skills essential for careers in health, recreation, and human services.
HHP sponsors the medals for participants and the department’s Therapeutic Recreation program provided stickers to celebrate the participant’s accomplishments.
Through this collaboration, Hawkathlon embodies the department’s commitment to experiential learning, adaptive fitness, and inclusive community building.
This year’s event welcomed about 25 participants of all abilities to complete an adaptive fitness challenge centered around themes of inclusion, adaptation, empowerment and community. Participants rotated through a variety of fitness stations—including yoga, aerobic drumming, jump roping, and more—set up around the third-floor track of the facility. Each station featured adaptations for accessibility, allowing them to control their own pace and comfort level. Many also partnered with volunteer buddies, fostering a strong spirit of encouragement and support. The afternoon concluded with a group workout and final celebratory lap, where all participants crossed the finish line together. Throughout the event, the energy was high, and the sense of community was evident.
Co-executive directors Gretchen Jellison, fourth-year speech and hearing student, and Ellie Witzel, third-year therapeutic recreation student, reflected on the day’s success, emphasizing how leadership, preparation, and collaboration shaped their experience. “As we walked around the track, we saw participants and volunteers engaged in their activities and could see the excitement as they completed the activities. There was a strong sense of community, especially as we all ended the event together with our final lap,” they said.