Science students Lily Eshraghi and Leena Han — and 20 other first-years —can confirm the rumours about Dean Maureen MacDonald: She does not go easy on you in her spin classes at The Pulse.

Han and Eshraghi, first-year reps for the McMaster Science Society, had been looking for no-pressure and fun ways for students to connect with the dean.

It was in a Science 1A03 lecture where Han learned that MacDonald is a spin instructor. The dean was giving a guest lecture and extended an open invitation to the class to join one of her weekly workouts.

Han went, had a blast, and asked Eshraghi to tag along for the dean’s next class.

They asked MacDonald if she’d teach an evening class exclusively for first-years. She said she would — with one condition: Han and Eshraghi needed to put together the playlist.

(Otherwise, students would be working out to the dean’s playlist of Anne Murray’s greatest hits, possibly making the spin class even more punishing.)

With the dean on board, Eshraghi and Han also invited a trio of faculty who teach some of the largest first-year science courses. Associate professor Joe Kim, assistant professor Anthony Chibba and associate dean of undergraduate studies Rosa da Silva were happy to join the class.

After working out to classics like Eye of the Tiger, Walking on Sunshine, I Want it That Way, Empire State of Mind and Sk8ter Boi, students and faculty had a meet-and-greet cooldown.

“It felt very rewarding when the night was done,” say Eshraghi and Han. “We really wanted this event to achieve our vision of connecting students and professors. And it definitely did.”

They’re already planning other events with lots of ideas in the works.

MacDonald is running a second spin class open to all undergraduate science students on March 20 at 7 p.m. in The Pulse. (Heads up: She plans to include Anne Murray hits in her playlist.)