Jakob Roze ’16: A full-circle journey in fitness and wellness

Helping people stay strong, mobile, and independent as they age is at the heart of Jakob Roze’s personal-training business, RozeFit. Earlier this year, Roze returned to Saratoga Springs, bringing his business to the community where his passion for exercise science, nutrition, and helping others first took shape. It’s a professional calling shaped in part by an unlikely combination of interests he pursued as a Skidmore student.

The opportunity to discover

Born in Austria, Roze grew up in Cragsmoor, New York. When it came time to choose a college, he focused primarily on state schools because he considered a private college education financially out of reach.  
 
That changed when he received a financial aid package through Skidmore's Opportunity Program. The program provided more than financial assistance. Its intensive summer academic preparation, tutoring, and individualized faculty support helped Roze navigate the transition from his small public school to the academic expectations of college. 
 
"I would have really struggled without it," he says. 
 
With his longstanding interest in plants, food, and nutrition, Roze initially considered studying botany. Instead, he found himself exploring anthropology, biology, exercise science, and education. He eventually majored in anthropology, drawing on the freedom to explore different disciplines. 
 
"I think everything ultimately combined into something really special," he says, adding that it took years to fully appreciate how those experiences shaped his career. 
 
One of the most meaningful connections from Roze’s Skidmore years is his lasting friendship with Stanley Murkland ’16, a competitive powerlifter he met during freshman year. The two regularly went to Skidmore’s Williamson Sports Center to weightlift together. Beyond their workouts, they spent hours studying training techniques and exercise science, experimenting with cooking and nutrition, and visiting local farmers' markets for fresh food.

Finding his professional purpose

A senior-year internship with Bryan Briddell, a former Skidmore assistant professor of exercise science and founder of Saratoga Peak Performance, helped turn Roze’s interests into a career path. Working with young athletes, Roze discovered how much he enjoyed coaching. He also recognized how his education courses had prepared him to break down techniques and explain them to others. 
 
After graduation, he earned his personal trainer certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and moved to New York City, where he worked at Equinox Fitness Club before establishing RozeFit. An unexpected experience with a client in her 70s transformed his professional focus. Accustomed to training young athletes, Roze discovered that helping older adults build strength could profoundly affect their everyday lives. 
 
“Seeing the immediate impact that strength training can have on older people’s lives was incredibly meaningful to me,” he recalls. 
 
Today, Roze provides individualized in-person and remote training, helping clients address age-related physical changes and preserve their quality of life. He also writes about health, fitness, and longevity for Health.com, a national online health and wellness publication.  
 
Roze had long hoped to return to Saratoga Springs, remembering the sense of community and energy he experienced as a Skidmore student. After years in New York City and the Hudson Valley, he decided the time was right. 
 
“It was an intuitive pull,” he says. “When I went to school here, I always thought at some point I would return, because the vibe of Saratoga is so great. It’s really good to be back.” 
 
Now, he’s bringing his professional experience and a fresh perspective to the place that helped set him on his path.