After undergoing two years of construction beginning in 2015, SF State’s Mashouf Wellness Center has successfully completed its first year of operations.

There is plenty of excitement surrounding the wellness center as it heads into its second year and prepares a few new programs to offer.

“We’re super excited,” said Director of Campus Recreation Pamela Su. “New students, faculty and staff are still learning about us, coming in and finding out just how much we have to offer.”

Located at the corner of Font and Lake Merced boulevards, the $86.5 million facility is a place where students can spend time working on themselves with the various fitness amenities the wellness center provides.

The 118,700-square-foot facility sports a plethora of activities for students, alumni and faculty, from indoor rock climbing, racquetball, squash and a sauna – to standard fitness equipment and many more amenities,

This semester the wellness center launched a new Gator Outdoor trips program GO Adventures. The first of these trips, Day in the Bay and Berkeley Bouldering, were held this past weekend. Both trips were sold out.

“It will be a great way to help students discover the surrounding Bay Area and greater northern California in a new way, and make a bunch of new friends along the way,” Su said. “Most of the other trips are full already too. The response has been terrific.”

Along with the new trips program, the wellness center has also added the opportunity to check out master locks at the front desk for free. The locks can be used to store belongings securely in locker rooms so that students’ minds can be at ease while they utilize the center.

The wellness center also plans on launching and expanding Lake Merced Boathouse operations, personal training and its cutting-edge virtual reality fitness. There is also back-to-school programming in the first six weeks of the semester.

Virtual reality fitness is exactly what it sounds like. Gym-goers put on VR goggles, grab handsets and get to working out.

The program is a collaboration between Campus Recreation, the Department of Kinesiologyand the VR Health Institute.

“There are about eight games to choose from, including boxing, soccer goalie, and my favorite, Fruit Ninja,” Su said.

Virtual reality fitness classes are free and open to all students and members in 30-minute blocks, every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Those interested can reserve a spot through the Campus Rec member portal.

“I think students are really receiving the Mashouf Wellness Center well.

It may appear to some people like we are just a gym, but really we are truly here for student success and well-being,” Su said.

The response from students regarding the MWC’s past year has been positive.

“Having a new wellness center is pretty awesome,” said civil engineering student Keondre Williams.

“We want to help students find their social safety net, learn about themselves, learn from each other, try new activities, reduce their stress and anxiety.”