Massage Therapy program hosts 20th anniversary virtual celebration
Nov 09, 2020
CCBC will host a 20th anniversary virtual celebration for the college’s Massage Therapy program at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19. CCBC’s Massage Therapy program was started in November 2000 at CCBC Essex (then-Essex Community College).Today, the program is housed in the new, state-of-the-art Carol Diane Eustis Center for Health Professions at CCBC Essex, which opened in Fall 2020. This new facility includes 10 massage therapy treatment rooms that emulate a clinical setting, complete with ergonomic flooring and spa equipment.
The program will also include remarks from CCBC President Sandra Kurtinitis; Dean of Instruction, CCBC School of Health Professions Shawn McNamara; as well as alumni, current students, and community supporters. The public can view the event live at Facebook.com/ccbcalumni.
A highlight of the anniversary celebration will be the dedication of the Theodora “Teddie” Welsh Reception Area. Welsh was the program’s director from 2002-2009; she passed away in 2010 after a battle with cancer. During her tenure as director, Welsh established the on-campus Massage Therapy Clinic and helped obtain the program’s initial accreditation in 2007 with the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation, the highest level of accreditation a program or institution can achieve in massage therapy education. In 2019, the Massage Therapy program received a $128,500 donation from Welsh’s husband, William Welsh, and the Kahlert Foundation.
CCBC is also the only Massage Therapy program in the country with B-Line video simulation software, which can record students while performing massage and allows instructors to critique students on their body mechanics and movement, helping them learn best practices to ensure a long career without taking a toll on their bodies.
