Six US and Canadian COMTA Accredited Schools Receive BIOTONE-Funded
Scholarships
SAVANNAH, GA – January 25, 2008 – BIOTONE and the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) today announced the recipients of the 2008 Edu-Scholarship Fund. Six COMTA accredited schools from the U.S. and Canada
will receive $500 scholarships, which they in turn will award to promising students. The announcement was made at the COMTA reception held in conjunction with the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) Council of Schools 2008 Leadership Conference and Annual Meeting held January 24-26 in Savannah, Ga.
The six schools receiving the awards include the Institute for Therapeutic Massage, Pompton Lakes, Red Bank, Newark, Morristown and Toms River, N.J.; Kishwaukee College, Massage Certification Program, Malta, Ill.; Lakeside School of Massage Therapy, Milwaukee and Madison, Wis.; Massage Therapy College of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba; Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado, Denver, Colo.; and Northwestern Health Sciences University, School of Massage Therapy, Bloomington, Minn.
“The massage therapy profession has enormous growth potential, particularly as CAM therapies continue to gain inroads into mainstream healthcare and the public increasingly turns to massage for relaxation and relief,” said Jean Shea, BIOTONE founder and CEO. “However, with this opportunity comes new demands on the proficiency of massage therapists, so that the emphasis on training has never been greater. We therefore are very proud to support the future generations of massage therapists through this educational scholarship program.”
Launched in 2007, the joint BIOTONE and COMTA program awards six $500 BIOTONE-funded scholarships to selected COMTA accredited schools. The schools in turn award their scholarships to promising massage students who have achieved educational excellence at the mid point of the training program.
Criteria for scholarship selection include a school’s standing. The recipient schools and programs each had annual and financial reports accepted without condition. In turn, students applying for the scholarships currently must be enrolled in a school’s massage therapy program and have achieved the midway point in their curriculum. Awards are based on a student’s academic performance, future massage therapist potential and leadership in community activities. Special circumstances also are
considered. All funds must be used for tuition and other school and other education related expenses.
“These scholarship awards serve as an incentive for students to continue to seek excellence in their professional training,” said Stephen Fridley, COMTA executive director. “We greatly appreciate BIOTONE’s recognition of the commitment of COMTA institutions and programs to the quality of education provided to their students. While the monetary assistance is significant, this recognition is an even greater reward.”
About COMTA
The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation, a non-profit independent body, seeks to improve the quality of education for students seeking education in the fields of massage therapy and bodywork through an accreditation process that reflects the current and emerging professional practice standards. COMTA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
About BIOTONE
BIOTONE, headquartered in San Diego, CA, is the leading manufacturer of superior quality professional massage oils, cremes, lotions, gels as well as spa body treatment products. Founded in 1980, BIOTONE is a family-run, woman-owned business. The company sells its products in the US and Internationally. More information can be found at www.biotone.com www.biotonespa.com or by calling 800.445.6457.
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