On 21 October 2019, Nazareth College, Special Olympics New York, and the Golisano Foundation announced the grand opening of the Golisano Training Center at Nazareth College—the first of its kind collaboration on inclusion, fitness, and wellness for athletes of all abilities. Nazareth is poised and ready to be a national model of “Wellness for All” as the only college or university that has developed an inclusive training center that levels the playing field for athletes of all abilities and ages.
“The inclusive environment will benefit Special Olympics New York athletes in their quest for year-round fitness. Through the partnership, the College will provide free health screenings and wellness programs for Special Olympics New York athletes. At the same time, the partnership will offer students in health and human services the unique opportunity to develop a specialty in working with individuals with intellectual disabilities.”
“700,000 good and gifted athletes participate in Special Olympics every year, and we are so grateful that Tom Golisano has made it possible for them all to be healthy! Each one of these athletes deserve the opportunity to play, train, and compete every single day. By playing and learning together, we are creating a more inclusive world,” said Dr. Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics Chairman. “Nazareth College and the Golisano Foundation are leading the Inclusion Revolution and are role models in providing inclusive sport and health for all. They are investing in their students by providing hands-on training in effective communication and caring for individuals with intellectual differences. I hope that every college and university around the country is watching and learning how we can all work together to change the course of inclusion for an entire community.”
“I am proud to support this new training center that will serve as a model for inclusive sport and health. This exciting project demonstrates Nazareth’s commitment to join the Golisano Foundation's work with Special Olympics by training the next generation of health professionals to care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Together, we are creating a shared space that benefits athletes of all abilities, fosters understanding, and acceptance.”
The Golisano Training Center has an indoor track, courts, turf field, and training facilities to promote the fitness and wellness of Nazareth students. The Center is laid out with large flow rooms to accommodate large groups and those with alternative modes of mobility. The Center also includes a sensory room to help participants who become over-stimulated or overheated, a space that also doubles as a dark space for concussion safety protocols.
Nazareth is uniquely qualified to achieve this vision as the only Rochester‐based college to offer an array of professional health care programs that includes nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, social work, creative arts therapy (art and music), occupational therapy, as well as pre‐medical and pre‐dental. Nazareth is one of the only schools in the United States, outside of those affiliated with academic medical centers, offering a full array of on‐campus clinics where students have the opportunity to work with real patients under the watchful supervision of faculty members.
Read more about the Golisano Training Center.
