Local Glen Burnie Resident, Gabrielle Craig, Recognized for Commitment and Compassion

Massage Envy, the pioneer and national leader of professional, convenient and affordable massage and spa services, today announced the first winner of its Massage Envy Scholarship Program. Gabrielle Craig of Glen Burnie is the program’s inaugural award recipient. Gabrielle, a student at the Baltimore School of Massage (BSOM), received a $500 check from Massage Envy which she will use to acquire her Maryland State Massage Therapy license.  

“All of us at Massage Envy are thrilled to be awarding this scholarship to such a deserving young woman,” say Winston Moore, Regional Director of Therapist Development at Massage Envy. “This [scholarship] program has a bright future, giving hope and assistance to those professionals just starting to make their way into the industry. We couldn’t be prouder to partner with BSOM to provide more opportunities for their students and the future of our industry.”

Gabrielle was selected to receive the scholarship after completing the seven and a half month massage therapy course at the Baltimore School of Massage. The Massage Envy Scholarship program requires that students maintain a GPA of 3.5 and 95 percent class attendance, along with submitting a written essay or video message.  The winner is selected by a panel of Massage Envy franchisee owners who evaluate each application.

Gabrielle decided to pursue a career in massage therapy after she learned that it could help those suffering from autoimmune diseases to manage the pain. Gabrielle’s mother was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, austeoperous, and other autoimmune diseases when Gabrielle was 13 years old. Gabrielle saw how debilitating her mother’s illnesses were and wanted to find ways to help her mother cope with her symptoms.

Throughout her training at the Baltimore School of Massage Gabrielle remained dedicated to excelling in her school work despite her own personal obstacles. Gabrielle suffers from Organic Brain Damage which can result in acute mental impairments and minor learning disabilities. Gabrielle did not let these obstacles slow her down and instead pursued her dream at BSOM.

“I was incredibly lucky to have the supportive staff of BSOM to lean on throughout my training,” said Gabrielle. “They always made me feel accomplished and continuously encouraged me to enhance my skills.” 

In addition to developing her own skills, Gabrielle was always willing to lend a helping hand to her fellow students making her a standout student to many of the staff and teachers BSOM who can’t help but to be inspired by Gabrielle.

“Gabrielle was always more than willing to step up and help other students, whether it benefited her or not,” says Amber Simmons, Career Services Manager at BSOM. “Gabrielle is truly encouraging and inspirational. We know that she has a successful career ahead of her.”

Massage Envy remains committed to giving back locally, in the communities they live, work and serve. It launched the scholarship program in January 2013 in an effort to help future massage therapists get started in the industry. Its commitment to education helps to validate the massage therapy career while giving back to the industry as a whole. 

After completing her licensing exam Gabrielle hopes to start her massage therapy career at Massage Envy. She believes that as part of the Massage Envy team she can put the skills she learned at the Baltimore School of Massage to use.

Massage Envy offers a variety of massage treatments to choose from, including Swedish, Trigger Point, Deep Tissue, Sports and Geriatric. All sessions can be customized to provide relief of key areas that cause tension, stress or pain. Beyond traditional massage therapy, Massage Envy established an exclusive partnership with global skin care leader Murad® to provide consumers affordable, healthy skin care. Customers can choose from four different facials including Environmental Shield® Vitamin C, Clarifying Enzyme Acne, Anti-Aging and Sensitive Skin. With Murad, Massage Envy Spa customers benefit from facials and skin care treatments designed by one of the world’s foremost leaders in skin health. 

For more information about Massage Envy, visit http://tiny.cc/z5obyw or call (410) 544-3800.