Dominican College in Orangeburg Opens Fitness Center to Students, Summer Campers, and the Community

The Dominican College fitness facility will now be open to students, summer campers, and the community. It opened July 13 last year and is an expansion of the former fitness room that existed in the school's Hennessy Center. The 6,300-square-foot facility is about four times larger than the old room and features 30 pieces of cardio equipment, 13 different pieces of circuit-training equipment, a cardio stretching room, high-definition TVs, locker rooms, two indoor basketball courts, and a running track with access to an outdoor trail. 

The $5 million-project opened after a year of construction and is open to students, alumni, and the general public. 

“We had a tiny weight room before, with not a lot of equipment and then with the enrollement at the college and with athletics, we needed a better fitness center,” says Chad Duesler, facility assistant manager. “We added lacrosse teams. We were adding teams so we needed a bigger space. And also for me personally, I like it because of the community outreach. We have community members here so they really get a good feel of what the college is about.”

This is the first year the college will use the facility for its children's summer camp programs. The camp programs are for children ages 6-14 and cover a variety of athletics, including basketball, soccer, and lacrosse. Summer camp kicks off July 2 with the school's Fourth of July Co-ed Basketball Camp. 

“One of our basketball courts is air-conditioned now, so it will really help out with the camp aspect of it,” says Duesler.

As part of the expansion, the school is currently fundraising for a new turf soccer field for use by the lacrosse and other outside sports teams.  

The general public can join the fitness center for $300 a year. Students can use the facility for free, while alumni can join for $150 annually. Registration for children's summer camp programs is still open. 

More information is available on the Dominican College website. 

Image: The $5 million project opened after a year of construction and is open to students, alumni, and the general public

Courtesy of Dominican College