OLLU has received a $3 million Title V grant from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance the Kinesiology program, the second largest major at the university. The project, “Transforming STEM Identity at OLLU: Advancing Kinesiology,” is designed to improve student performance and graduation rates.

The project will focus on student athletes. Seventy-eight percent of Kinesiology majors compete in OLLU athletics. 

"This grant will provide an opportunity for our students to graduate with real-world experience, certifications and research,” said project director Emily Sauers, PhD,  Associate Professor of Kinesiology. “Whether our students pursue graduate work or enter the workforce, they will be highly competitive candidates for any future endeavor." 

The $3 million grant will be disbursed over five years and will focus on several equity-driven, evidence-based projects. Funds will be used to renovate the kinesiology lab, create a Women’s Metabolic Institute focused on cardiometabolic health in Latinas and upgrade equipment to enhance experiential learning. 

“This grant is critical for Kinesiology,” Dr. Sauers said. “The implementation of new programs and infrastructure will put OLLU Kinesiology on the map.”