Guide to student health in Vermillion

Staying healthy is key to student success whether it is going to the Wellness Center to avoid the freshman 15 or getting strep from your roommate who refuses to wash their hands. The University of South Dakota takes measures to keep students healthy in all aspects.

Wellness Center

For day-to-day cardio and weight lifting, the university’s Wellness Center is the place to go. Director of the Wellness Center Steve Mayer said, “It features two floors of machines, three gymnasiums, three dance or aerobic studios, a three-lane walking track, and a 38-foot climbing wall.”

They also offer around 80 classes from yoga to kettlebell weight lifting. The full list of classes and the schedule is available on usd.edu; search for Wellness Center classes. The Wellness Center is available for free to all students with a student I.D. and is open during the school year from 5 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

The Wellness Center is also the place to go when looking to sign up for intramurals, which are offered as team or individual programs in almost any sport. For more information, check out the bulletin boards at the Wellness Center.

Student Health Services

Staying healthy will hopefully keep sickness at bay, but it’s pretty common for students to become ill in some way or another. Colds are almost inevitable when living in close quarters like the dorms and normally are not cause for a doctor visit. But when something more serious comes up, the student health center isn’t far away.

“All currently enrolled USD students who pay the general activity fee each semester are eligible to use Student Health. Your Coyote Card must be presented as identification when using Student Health Services.”

The following services are offered to students through Sanford Clinic Vermillion for free or at a reduced rate:

• Office Visits

• X-rays

• Allergies/ Injections/

Immunizations

• Labs

• Physicals

Mental Health

Physical health is important, but so is mental health. The university offers a counseling center for student who feel the need to speak will a counselor for any reason. The Student counseling Center is located in the Cook House on Clark St. and is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers a wide range of confidential services to currently enrolled USD students. These services include but are not limited to:

• Individual & group counseling

• Couples counseling

• Crisis intervention

• Consultation

• Education and prevention services

• Case management services

• Self-help resources