Walking Track Construction Begins at Mississippi College

Under construction near the Mississippi College soccer fields. a new walking track will enhance wellness activities for the MC family and Clinton area residents. It will open after Labor Day.

Piper Walters plans a blitz of high intensity workouts, belly bursting walks, running and much more to burn off calories for Mississippi College students and employees.

Starting this fall, much of the action will happen at a quarter-mile walking track under construction near the Longabaugh Soccer Field.

Construction crews will keep working through mid-August on the track that sits near the home turf of MC Choctaws soccer teams. MC’s new wellness coordinator, Walters expects the grand opening for the walking track will come after Labor Day.

Her hiring, and the new track will be part of a series of wellness initiatives at Mississippi College. It’s made possible thanks to a grant of nearly $275,000 from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.

Walters will build upon the university’s MoveMC program created in 2012 to boost wellness for faculty and staff. The walking track programs will also be open to Clinton area residents.

The walking track will be the perfect spot for the Christian university community to step things up to promote healthy lifestyles, school leaders say.

Her lineup of events this fall and spring will range from beginning walking exercises to one-mile body workouts to a bolder running pyramid workout. She wants participants to mix running with walking.

The new wellness coordinator will stay on the go. The Clinton resident will teach kinesiology classes at the Baptist-affiliated university. Courses will range from fitness for life to nutrition classes. The classes are designed to be freshmen level offerings for all majors.

A former fitness leader at two hospitals, Walters will push programs to “help our MC community members lead more healthy, active lives both on campus and at home,” says Kinesiology Department Chairman Chris Washam.

Walters is working with partners like the Baptist Healthplex, Alumni Pool director Ellen Noble, the university’s Kinesiology Department, and a campus committee to enhance wellness plans. In addition, she’s teaming with leaders of Campus Dining, MC’s food service provider, to encourage healthier eating habits.