Teaming up: College of Public Health and Athletics partner to support athletes holistically

A new partnership between the College of Public Health (CPH) and the Athletics Department is taking shape at George Mason University, starting with a shared commitment to boost nutrition support for student-athletes.

"From the start, we saw an opportunity to merge two strengths at George Mason: our expertise in public health and Athletics' commitment to student well-being," said Dean Melissa Perryof the College of Public Health. "This collaboration was part of the vision when we recruited Dr. Martin Binks, knowing his leadership could help connect nutrition science directly to the needs of our student-athletes."

"At George Mason, we believe in developing champions in every aspect of life, which means investing in the holistic well-being of our student-athletes," said Marvin Lewis,assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "This partnership with the College of Public Health reinforces that commitment by bringing expert support in nutrition, wellness, and education-helping our Patriots thrive in competition and beyond. We're proud to build this model of collaboration and grateful to the College of Public Health leadership for their shared vision and partnership."

Currently, the nutrition department is assisting Athletics as they hire a full-time registered dietitian, who will serve as both a direct resource for student-athletes as well as a preceptor for dietetics students completing supervised practice hours in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics.

The department is also designing a new athlete-focused section ofone of its most popular courses, NUTR 295: Fundamentals of Nutrition. The class will keep its general nutrition framework while folding in case studies and other content tailored to athletic performance, designed in consultation with coaches and trainers.

"Athletics is proactively supporting the whole student, not just their athletic performance. Our department shares that philosophy and is ready to support it," said Martin Binks, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies (NFS) at CPH.

On the CPH side, for students enrolled in the MS in Nutrition's Nutrition and Performance concentration, the partnership opens more doors for applied learning and collaboration. Internships and practicums with Athletics will place them alongside the university's strength and conditioning staff, trainers, and teams.

Binks has joined theGeorge Mason Athletics Medical Review Team,a strategically assembled advisory group tasked with evaluating and improving the standard of sports medicine care available to student-athletes. "It's the first time the College of Public Health has had representation in that process," Binks noted.

These initial steps laythe groundwork for broader connections between CPH and Athletics in the future. During a September CPH kickoff meeting, faculty and athletics leaders also discussed opportunities in social work and mental-health support, as well as immersive learning using virtual reality and augmented reality to enhance anatomy and physiology education. Additional plans include workshops and seminars on a range of wellness topics related to self-care, sleep, and stress management, as well as topics centered on leadership and life after student athletics.

Thumbnail photo by Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University.