Girl Gains is a new club at Slippery Rock University that empowers women to build confidence in the gym.
Senior Gabriella Prignon brought the club to campus during the fall 2025 semester.
“I think our student body is pretty active, but I know the gym environment can be really intimidating to women,” Prignon said. “I figured making a club would make that more enjoyable, but also comforting.”
Girl Gains has hosted a variety of events on campus. One event they helped to host, along with other campus organizations, was a Color Run benefiting the Butler County Humane Society.
Girl Gains also hosted a vision board-making event last semester.
Prignon has sent out surveys to gather the student body’s interest in what Girl Gains should offer.
“This semester in particular, a lot of people wanted to learn more about lifting and how to structure their workouts,” she said.
In response to this, Girl Gains will host an event called Lifting 101 on March 5 during common hour. It will be in 215 Patterson Hall.
Girl Gains frequently hosts club lifts at the ARC, where women can gather to exercise. These will happen once a week throughout spring semester. Dates are not yet determined.
Prignon hopes the club brings more enjoyment to exercise for women at SRU. “I advocate for health involvement, of course, but also to make women feel more comfortable in the gym,” she said.
Prignon said that women considering weightlifting should not be afraid to start.
“Everyone starts somewhere,” she said. “And once you start, you open up a door to many different avenues.”
Prignon also emphasized that working out should be fun and customizable.
“It doesn’t mean you have to be a bodybuilder,” she said. “That’s another thing about this club, it’s very much whatever [students] want to do with exercise.”
Students can check Girl Gains on CORE and on Instagram at girlgainssru to stay up to date with events and club lifts.
