Dawn with the Dean

~ I snagged this item off the University’s web site. I think this is a great tradition that facilitates physical and mental fitness.

It’s 6:25 am in the Worrell parking lot. Soon the daily ritual of cars weaving up and down lanes, their drivers desperately hunting for a parking space, will begin. But right now, in the calm before the storm, a ritual of a different kind is taking place. Business students, faculty, and staff are milling around in exercise clothes, stretching their hamstrings, getting ready to take a three-mile journey with Dean Reinemund (right). Because this is a Thursday morning, and around here that means one thing: Dawn with the Dean, a weekly chance to rub shoulders, share ideas, and — depending on your pace — sweat a little with Steve Reinemund.

Sometimes there’s lively discussion about current events in business, or about the upcoming plans for the combined schools. Other times there’s just the rhythmic pattern of breathing and feet pounding the pavement in unison. Which is exactly how it’s supposed to be. These aren’t scripted moments. There is no syllabus. It’s about colleagues, students, friends, and mentors sharing time outside the confines of the classroom, building relationships that go beyond walls.

For Dean Reinemund, it’s also about instilling healthy habits in students and colleagues. He’s been a runner for years, and believes exercise leads not only to stronger, healthier bodies but also to sharper minds.