A body in motion tends to stay in motion. More than just a law of gravity, that is one of Kevin Farrell's core beliefs.
"Use it or you lose it," he said of the human body. "It's plain and simple."
Promoting the health benefits of aerobic exercise has been a mission for Farrell '84, PT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT, from his time as an SAU student through his current role as a professor in the St. Ambrose Doctor of Physical Therapy program and chair of the Orthopaedic Residency Program.
Farrell grew up active as the son of a high school teacher who coached nearly every available sport in Goose Lake, Iowa. As a member of the Fighting Bees basketball team, he was among the first to compete in the PE Center when it opened in 1983.
Farrell came to St. Ambrose to pursue a degree in biology, with one eye on following his father into teaching and coaching. The other eye was looking toward medical school, but when Farrell met a member of the Bees softball team, the years it would take to become a medical doctor and the hours such a career would demand quickly became less appealing.
He subsequently married that softball player, Anne (Lammers) Farrell '84, and his interest in healthcare turned to pursuing a certificate in physical therapy from the University of Iowa. He later earned master's and doctoral degrees from Iowa, as well.
In 1992, after four years as a practicing physical therapist, Farrell fused his passions for therapy and teaching by returning to St. Ambrose to join the new Physical Therapy program. It was Farrell's interest in aerobic activity and its practical health value that sparked his interest in therapy. His interest in, and undeniable affinity for, teaching was inherited — at home and at St. Ambrose.
"It's something I grew up with-the educational process, the mindset," he said. "I had some very influential instructors who showed me how to set a good balance: put the students' interests first and do whatever you can to help them learn."
Voted Graduate Professor of the Year in 2012, 2007 and 2001, Farrell said teaching in the classroom is not radically different from practicing physical therapy.
"As a therapist, I'm teaching patients everyday-how to take care of themselves, how to exercise, how to avoid re-injury," he said. "My philosophy is to do what I can to help people get where they want to go."
Farrell also works as a therapist for Rock Valley Physical Therapy and, in his "spare time," he doesn't stop moving-whether that's cycling on the St. Ambrose Alumni RAGBRAI team, hiking the Rocky Mountain National Park or just walking around his neighborhood.
"Physical, mental, spiritual," he said of the many benefits of healthy lifestyle. "It all ties together. That's what we try to teach our students. You have to have a balance in life. You can't just study. You can't just exercise."
Because Farrell believes the new Wellness and Recreation Center will help future St. Ambrose students achieve such a balance, he last year co-chaired a campaign initiative seeking faculty and staff support. The effort surpassed its goal in less than a month's time, with more than 170 employees pledging in excess of $270,000.
"Everybody here recognizes the need," Farrell said. "The entire campus is behind it."
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