Montgomery County Community College’s newest Massage Therapy Program graduates quickly used their new skills and education to show their appreciation and to say “thank you.”

Eight students graduated from the program on April 9 and provided 20- to 30-minute chair and table massages to MCCC’s facilities employees to acknowledge their daily work to keep the buildings clean and safe

“The students were very excited to be able to give back to the staff who enabled them to come to campus each day so they could complete the program,” said Director William Mullen. “They wrote and posted thank you notes and decorations around the lab. We are very appreciative of their dedication to ensure the safety of our students.”

Throughout the pandemic, MCCC’s facilities employees, following COVID-19 procedures and CDC guidelines, cleaned the Health Sciences Center and other buildings so they would be safe for students and faculty. Their careful work enabled the students who needed to be on campus to meet the requirements of their programs to attend classes.

The students also will provide massages for the facilities employees at the Pottstown Campus to say thank you for their work on behalf of the students at that campus.

The Massage Therapy Program graduates include Henry Diaz-Lopez, Pottstown; Christina Glykas, Bethlehem; Ryan Hendricks, Lansdale; Parker Miele, New Hope; Justin Rose, Philadelphia; Maya Slawow, Elkins Park; Robert Sterling, Horsham; and Noni Williams, Philadelphia.

Three of the graduates already found employment in their field. Henry Diaz-Lopez will be working at Massage Envy in Collegeville, Parker Miele will be working at La Bella Vita in New Hope and Justin Rose will be working at Haven Wellness in Philadelphia.

MCCC’s Massage Therapy Program prepares students for the State Board of Massage Therapy’s approved licensure examination and to work as massage therapists in a variety of settings. In addition to receiving their certificates, the graduates earned nine credits that they can use to continue their education in the future. Since the Massage Therapy program started in 2017, more than 75 students have graduated.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Statistics, employment in this field is expected to grow 22 percent from 2014 through 2024, with growth higher than average for all occupations.

MCCC offers full-time and part-time programs for Massage Therapy. The next full-time program starts May 3, 2021 and will finish September 24, 2021. The fall full-time program begins on September 27, 2021 and will finish March 4, 2022. Classes are held Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The next part-time program starts January 10, 2022 and concludes December 23, 2022. Classes are held Mondays/Wednesdays and alternating Thursdays from 5-10 p.m.

For more information about the Massage Therapy Program, contact Director William Mullen at 215-641-6509 or email massage@mc3.edu.