All people, including ETSU students, have ‘issues’, related to physical, emotional and/or spiritual health. But how can these issues be handled?
One ETSU professor empathizes and offers students a way to cope with life’s realities now and in the future.
“Since joining the ETSU community four years ago, I have had, through formal research and teaching, the opportunity to realize students’ needs and concerns,” said Dr. Masoud Ghaffari, professor in the College of Nursing. “They need relief from stress as well as more time for self-care, social interaction and personal reflection.”
Ghaffari gave his students the option of earning extra credit points, in the pathophysiology course he teaches, by participating in an exercise program that would help them improve their health while also learning about systems of the human body. Points are awarded to students who participated in physical activity at the Basler Center for Physical Activity (CPA), in at least three 30-minute sessions a week for 12 weeks (consistency being more important than intensity), and to write a short essay describing the effects of exercise after each weekly session related to information discussed in class.
Mark Blevins, RN, a former student of Ghaffari’s and a recent graduate of ETSU, College of Nursing, applauds Ghaffari’s efforts in designing and implementing the Exercise Project for nursing students. “He went beyond the classroom teaching to help us reduce stress, promote health, and gave us an opportunity to learn ‘hands on’ the effect physical activity has on the body: physically, mentally and emotionally.”
President Eisenhower in 1956 once stated: “Our young people must be physically, mentally, and spiritually prepared for American citizenship.” Meanwhile, daily participation in high school physical education classes dropped from 42 percent in 1991 to 29 percent in 1999, according to the Department of Health and Human Services report. Physical inactivity and poor diet are catching up with tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in America.
Elaborating on the foundation of the exercise program, Ghaffari said, “College students, while working on required course material, are also in search of ways to help them learn more effectively. The underlying philosophy for this project is Trinity Paradigm of Intelligence (TPI). The paradigm emerged from one of my studies in the field of human intelligence, that unfolded the essence of human intelligence as ‘interdependence’ existing in three realms: intrapersonal (physiological), intrapersonal (social), and transpersonal (spiritual).”
Many students do not realize that they are already paying to use the CPA since the cost is included in student fees. Jon Walker, CPA director, said that since the advent of Ghaffari’s program, “People come in that might not otherwise step foot in here.”
Stan Webb, CPA supervisor, said that if Ghaffari were an Ivy League professor, he would be receiving awards for his program, but for now, only the nursing students get the benefit of this arrangement.
What would happen if students were to challenge instructors to adopt Ghaffari’s program as part of their own classroom assignments? “I absolutely believe in the program,” said Billie Sills, a member of the nursing faculty.
“I definitely would consider implementing this program to encourage my students to become healthier,” said Pearl Ume-Nwagbo, also a member of the nursing faculty.
Ghaffari points out that everyone should exercise on a regular basis.
Some students might be hesitant at first. Nursing students not only found that they could drill each other on upcoming quizzes as they exercised, but have also made friends with those participating alongside them.
It should come as no surprise that Latosha Walker, one of the first students to participate in this project, believes it helped her academically. “Working out helps my sanity and helps me sleep better. My mind is clearer after work outs and I am better able to study, focus, concentrate and retain and it helped me and my classmates perform better on exams,” Walker said.
Blevins said, “This program may have instilled healthier habits in today’s students (tomorrow’s practitioner). What kind of practitioners are we if we don’t follow the advice we give our patients?”
Ghaffari said, “I believe this project can be implemented in any field of study. This program didn’t cost the university an extra penny and I’ll be glad to share my experiences with any of my colleagues interested in adopting this idea.” His ideas have even received national attention.
“The National League for Nursing invited me to share the results of this project at their 2007 summit,” Ghaffari said.

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