Ridgewater Massage Therapy Program Expands to Hutchinson Campus This Fall
March 10, 2021
WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – Expanding programs for broader availability is a great way to meet industry needs. Ridgewater College is proud to announce that its long-standing Massage Therapy program on the Willmar campus will be available in Hutchinson beginning August 2021.
“We are so excited!” said Mary Leyk, Ridgewater dean of Nursing and Allied Health programs. “This hands-on, healthcare program will now better serve students from the Hutchinson area and be a convenient option for those wishing to commute from the west Metro area and beyond.”
Massage Therapy has been available in Willmar for nearly 17 years, offering both a 60-credit Associate of Applied Science degree and a 32-credit diploma. The program has earned a national endorsement from the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA), and instructor Dr. Katy Lundell-Stuhr was recognized as a Minnesota State Outstanding Educator in 2020.
The Willmar program, with a maximum capacity of 20 students to ensure excellent hands-on application and practice, will continue to offer its popular schedule for working adults looking for a new career direction or opportunity. Labs occur on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays, with student massage services open to the public each Spring Semester on designated Saturdays in the on-campus Student Massage Center.
The new Hutchinson option will begin this fall for a smaller eight-student class this first year. Then in Spring 2022, students will gain client experience beginning their second semester at the new on-campus Student Massage Center coming to Hutchinson.
“It’s definitely exciting times for Massage Therapy,” Lundell-Stuhr said. “The Hutchinson hours will be a bit more traditional in nature with labs on Tuesday afternoons 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Fridays all day 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. By offering both a traditional daytime schedule in Hutchinson and the more nontraditional evening/weekend schedule in Willmar, we hope to attract more students of diverse backgrounds and life experiences.”
Although being a student in either the Hutchinson or Willmar program does not require a daily commitment, students must be full-time students.
The Ridgewater Massage Therapy program is an Assigned School through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.
To learn more about the Massage Therapy program, go to www.ridgewater.edu/massage. To hear and see more about the program and also to meet the instructor, students and alumni, register for the upcoming virtual Massage Therapy Information Session set for 10:00-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 3 at www.ridgewater.edu/visit.