After a recent conversation with Ruben Mejia, Executive Vice President for the Americas, it became clear that SportsArt’s vision extends well beyond fitness equipment. Mejia is passionate about leveraging fitness technology to drive sustainability and student engagement on college campuses nationwide.
“Our products reflect our values, and we’ve championed sustainability long before it was mainstream,” says Mejia. “Now that students are more engaged in these efforts, we’re doing everything we can to support them.”
A prime example is SportsArt’s Campus Challenge, an initiative that encourages students to promote sustainability on their campuses through social media. Participants create videos showcasing their commitment to sustainability, using #SportsArtCampusChallengeSweepstakes and tagging @gosportsart (Instagram) and @SportsArtOnCampus (TikTok). Winners receive state-of-the-art ECO-POWR™ equipment, which converts human energy into electricity, along with cash prizes and funding for campus sustainability programs.
Following a highly successful inaugural year, the 2025 Campus Challenge will offer over $145,000 in sustainable fitness equipment, with a $75,000 Grand Prize commemorating the 75th anniversary of the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). Cleveland State University won the first challenge, integrating SportsArt equipment into its rec center and hosting an Earth Day event to engage students and the broader community.
Mejia emphasizes that campus recreation centers play a crucial role in student recruitment. “Prospective students and parents see our equipment and immediately understand the institution’s commitment to sustainability. Imagine touring a campus and learning that the gym actually generates clean energy—it’s a powerful message.”
SportsArt also supports individual student initiatives, such as Brown University’s Elina Pipa, who proposed and successfully integrated ECO-POWR™ equipment into her campus fitness center as part of her Climate Solutions course. The partnership demonstrates SportsArt’s willingness to collaborate with students and institutions to drive meaningful change.
Beyond equipment, SportsArt provides educational resources, including “The Ultimate Sustainable Gym Checklist,” helping institutions transform their fitness spaces into models of sustainability. The company believes that true progress requires collaboration, and it remains committed to empowering students and universities to lead the charge toward a greener future.
“We want to engage students, institutions, and even competitors in this movement,” says Mejia. “More engagement leads to more sustainability—and that benefits everyone.”
