North Dakota
University of Mary program is first in North Dakota to become accredited
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Certified strength and conditioning programs are on the rise across the country in schools and performance centers like Sanford Sports Center and are designed to help athletes, train, perform and recover at a high level.
The University of Mary recently received accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning. This honor provides them an opportunity to give their students in the Biomechanics-Strength and Conditioning undergraduate program an upper hand in the job market.
”You know, you’re with a program that wants to, not only help their students thrive in college but also just as they go out into the workforce, as they go into their careers,” said Shayla Reep, a recent graduate who now works at Sanford Sports Center.
The university became the first in North Dakota and one of only 18 in the country to receive this accreditation. This signified a more hands-on approach for students going through the program and into their professional careers.
”They get to work with strength and conditioning specialists full-time over different courses in the semesters that they’ll be in the program. And so, that straight hands-on experience is really going to help them in their practice as they grow,” said Chair of Athletic Training and Kinesiology, Dr. Rachel Johnson Krug.
The university staff are pleased to have received this honor considering the upcoming requirements for professionals in the strength and conditioning industry.
“By 2030, in order for a student to take their CSCS exam, they will have to graduate from an accredited program. So we’re really proud that we’re one of the first in the country to get, you know, our education kind of up at this top-tier level,” said Alicia Wells, a biomechanics and kinesiology instructor and the Strength and Conditioning Fieldwork Coordinator.
With their accreditation being brand new, the university is looking forward to adding more students to its program and helping the profession grow.
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