Massage therapy student grant program received over 750 applications
Akron, Ohio – November 30, 2016 — Biofreeze®, Massage Envy® and Bon Vital’® are pleased to announce the winners of their third annual collaborative Successful Hands Grant Program. This year’s program, launched in March, supported professional massage therapy students in their educational pursuits. Students applied for one of eight $1,000 grants. In addition, each winner’s school receives a $1,000 grant package. All applicants were asked to complete a 200-word essay on “What being a successful massage therapist means to me.” The submission process closed on October 15, 2016.
“As evidenced by the quality of the submissions we received, our future is in the hands of very passionate and talented individuals. Once again, it was truly a privilege to invest in these students’ futures through this collaborative grant program with Massage Envy,” stated Lynda Solien-Wolfe, Vice President Massage and Spa, Performance Health. “I am delighted and honored to announce this year’s winners. They are…..
- Jessica Dunn, AR Therapeutic Massage Institute, Hot Springs, Arkansas
- Cassandra Herrera, Academy for Massage Therapy Training, San Antonio, Texas
- Sadie Robinson, North Country Community College, Saranac Lake, New York
- Andrew Steigmeier, Finger Lakes School of Massage, Mount Kisco, New York
- Lydia Tovar, American Career College, Long Beach, California
- Andrew VanDeusen, National Institute of Massotherapy, Akron, Ohio
- Whitney Waugh, Colorado School of Healing Arts, Lakewood, CO
- Audrey Wood, Bellus Academy, Poway, California.”
“It has been truly gratifying to partner with Performance Health again and to support these students, who are dedicating their lives to wellness and will soon be part of this fast-growing industry,” added Rick Boden, Director of Employee Brand Engagement, Massage Envy. “At Massage Envy, we know regular massage is not a luxury, but an integral part of a well-rounded wellness routine, with proven power to reduce stress and help people heal. That’s why the brand is committed to creating opportunities for professional massage therapists and to helping them build rewarding, long-term careers.”
“I know it wasn’t easy for our selection committee to choose only eight winners and we are very grateful for their willingness to serve on our review committee. However, I’m sure they found it rewarding to read what these students are striving to do to make our world a better place,” continued Solien-Wolfe. “Thank you all for making a difference in these students’ lives. The review committee members were…
- Julie Keller Callaghan, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher, American Spa
- Mae Manacap-Johnson, Editor, Pulse; International SPA Association
- Karen Menehan, Editor in Chief, MASSAGE Magazine
- Scott Dartnall, President and CEO, One Concept.”
“Thank you to all the students and schools who participated this year. The 750+ applications represented 294 massage therapy schools and/or programs,” concluded Solien-Wolfe. “Because of this overwhelming response, I’m pleased to announce we will be implementing the program again in 2017. Be part of our Facebook community to stay up to date on the launch details.”
About Massage Envy
Massage Envy, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a national franchisor, and through its franchise locations, is a leading provider of therapeutic massage and skin care services. With its membership model, Massage Envy believes total body care is an integral part of everyone’s well-being journey. The Massage Envy franchise system is, collectively, the largest employer of massage therapists and estheticians, with more than 25,000 dedicated professionals that provide best-in-class service to over 1.65 million members. Founded in 2002, Massage Envy has more than 1,100 franchise locations in 49 states that have delivered more than 100 million massages and facials. The company was recently ranked No. 1 Best Franchise with an initial investment of $500,001 and up by Forbes. For more information, visit massageenvy.com, or follow Massage Envy on Twitter @MassageEnvy and Facebook.
About Performance Health
Performance Health is a global health, wellness and self-care company. The Performance Health brands include Biofreeze®, TheraBand®, Cramer®, Bon Vital’®, Perform®, and Thera°Pearl. Biofreeze® Pain Reliever is the #1 clinically recommended topical analgesic. Millions of users rely on Biofreeze to relieve back, neck, shoulder, joint and arthritis pain. No other topical analgesic is backed by as much supporting research in today’s marketplace for cold therapy pain relief. Bon Vital’ is dedicated to delivering the highest quality massage therapy and body care products to massage and spa professionals and their clients.