MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) is a hub for student wellness, teamwork, and achievement. The department offers a wide range of programs that integrate physical activity with academic learning, helping students develop both mentally and physically.
One recent innovation is the Exercise is Medicine class, which blends physical activity with academic coursework, allowing MIT students to stretch both minds and bodies. This experimental course rethinks the traditional separation between brains and bodies in education, bringing movement into the classroom and academics into the gym.
DAPER also celebrates outstanding athletic accomplishments. In March 2025, the MIT women’s swimming and diving team won its first NCAA Division III National Championship, entering the event ranked as the top team in the country and securing three individual national titles along with four relay titles. Additionally, Karenna Groff ’22 was named NCAA Woman of the Year in 2023, becoming only the second MIT student-athlete ever to earn this prestigious honor.
The department also focuses on social connection and well-being. A new course, PE.0539, supports students in meeting new people, strengthening friendships, building communities, and making MIT a more welcoming place. Meanwhile, senior Branden Spitzer discovered a passion for materials science and engineering through his love of food and cooking, illustrating how DAPER’s programs can unlock unexpected academic interests.
DAPER is led by dedicated professionals like Julie Soriero, former MIT director of athletics and head of DAPER, who was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021 and received the NCAA President’s Pat Summitt Award in 2018 for her devotion to developing student-athletes and making a positive impact on their lives.
MIT’s varsity athletics teams consistently perform at a high level. The Engineers finished fourth in the 2022 Division III LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup standings, posting their second-highest finish in program history after claiming 11 NEWMAC titles. Weekly sports shorts highlight achievements across men’s and women’s basketball, swimming and diving, field hockey, sailing, track and field, and baseball, with numerous student-athletes earning CoSIDA Academic All-District and All-America accolades.
DAPER also supports cutting-edge research through programs like the MIT.nano Immersion Lab Gaming Program, which awards seed grants to advance technologies for gaming and data visualization. Through these diverse initiatives, DAPER continues to empower MIT students to excel in sports, academics, and personal growth.