The SHINE (Supporting Her in Navigating Exercise) Program: An Experimental Study Examining Peer Support as an Exercise Promotion Tool Among Undergraduate Women Initiates: A Protocol Study

Many undergraduate women are physically inactive, with negative implications for wellbeing. Peer-mentorship programs, pairing learners with experienced peer-coaches, may enhance participation though research remains limited. This protocol paper strengthens methodological transparency and replicability by describing a 6-week randomized trial examining a campus-based peer-mentorship exercise intervention grounded in the self-determination theory. Thirty-three inactive undergraduate women were randomized to receive supportive-coaching from six trained student-mentors or exercise independently. Motivation, psychological wellbeing, and exercise behavior will be assessed and study involvement experiences explored. This novel approach combines facility tours with hybrid mentorship, a first in the pandemic-recovery era, which may guide campus programming.