Newswise — Cal State LA has created a Pokémon GO campus health walk, leveraging the wildly popular augmented reality game to promote physical fitness and well-being among students and employees.

The health walk is sponsored by the university's Mind Matters initiative, which was launched in 2014 by Cal State LA President William A. Covino to integrate well-being into student life as a means of promoting academic success.

Officially titled the #MindMatters Pokémon GO Health Walk, the path traverses the 175-acre campus and features 35 PokéStops and three gyms. The health walk begins at the Golden Eagle statue and Main Walkway, which is a focal point for student activity. By following the path, players will complete about 9,555 steps – nearly five miles.

With dozens of PokéStops, Cal State LA is a Pokémon paradise for players of all levels. During lunchtime and breaks, students and employees can be seen strolling the campus, searching for Pokémon creatures and engaging in battles at the gyms.

The health walk is the latest addition to the Mind Matters initiative. The initiative promotes well-being through a student video series, therapy dog visits, a speaker series that has included lectures by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, and through services offered by the Student Health Center.