RCC graduates first Therapeutic Massage class

ASHEBORO — The sense of pride was palatable May 31 as Randolph Community College conducted its first Therapeutic Massage graduation in the JB & Claire Davis Corporate Training Center on the Asheboro Campus.

Class speaker Destiny Bach, who was nominated by her classmates, said she was unsure at first when she stepped into the classroom at the Randleman Center.

“There was no way I could be in this little space with these random people for the next nine months,” she said. “Little did I know, they would become my family.”

Bach said the crew learned to trust each other — even with each other’s children — as all made sacrifices to take night classes on the step toward a new career.

RCC Coordinator of Therapeutic Massage Nancy Harrell talked about how special night students are as she once took night classes, too.

“They’re all taking night classes for a reason — they have a job, they have a family,” she said. “I have a special place in my heart for them.”

Harrell pointed out that Therapeutic Massage is more than just giving back rubs, it’s knowing all the muscles of the body and how they affect the rest of the body. The students even made 300 flash cards to learn those muscles over an intense nine-month course. All the studying could lead to several different opportunities such as working with pregnant women, senior care, or working in a spa setting.

RCC President Dr. Robert Shackelford Jr. gave the welcome, noting that Therapeutic Massage was a part of comedian Bob Hope’s daily regimen and he lived to be 100 years old, while RCC Vice President for Workforce Development and Continuing Education Elbert Lassiter gave the opening remarks, reminding the students of the first day of class when he greeted them and promised to be their first customer — a promise he didn’t break.

The graduates were: Maira Aviles, Bach, Sarah Ellison, Gustavo Hernandez, Crystal Hughes, Sandra Rodriguez, Rosemary Tiller, and Brittney Tompkins.

Next up for the graduates is the Massage Board Licensing Examination (MBLEx), which will allow the students to become licensed therapists.