2015 Dianne Polseno Scholarship 2nd Place Winner Interview

Published: June 8, 2015

By Kristen Lutz
Communications Program Chair

I had the pleasure of sitting down with our 2015 Dianne Polseno Scholarship 2nd Place Winner, Elise Gauger, to get to know a little more about how this award will affect her and her future practice. Elise was the recipient of $500 and a free year of AMTA-MA membership. Did you know we have $1,000 and $500 (PLUS A YEAR OF FREE AMTA MEMBERSHIP!) just waiting for some brilliant and talented souls to take home each year? Here's what Elise had to say about how the scholarship will make an impact on her career.

Q. How did you hear about the Dianne Polseno Scholarship?

A. I received an email describing the scholarship that was forwarded to all students by the administrator of the school.

Q. Where are you attending school and do you have a favorite class/area of study?

A. I attend Bancroft School of Massage in Worcester. I found the anatomy & physiology classes fascinating and especially enjoyed learning the muscles by building them out of clay and positioning on the model skeleton.

Q. What will be the first thing you do with your Scholarship Award?

A. I will use the scholarship award to take a class in oncology massage after graduation. I have a particular interest in working with cancer patients and the scholarship money will help me to achieve this goal. My internship experience at the Simonds Sinon Cancer Center in Fitchburg has affirmed my interest and I am anxious to learn more about how to best serve this population.

Q. How will the Award make an impact on your massage therapy practice?

In addition to furthering my knowledge of oncology massage the award introduced me to the AMTA-MA chapter annual meeting. I learned a great deal about available resources for massage therapists as well as recent legislation affecting massage therapist businesses. It was a very worthwhile experience and I plan to attend future meetings which I expect will enrich my practice.

Q. What would you like to say to next year's applicants?

It is important to focus your essay on the topic chosen by the scholarship committee. As I was writing my essay I would reread the question posed by the committee to make sure I stayed on topic.

Q. Why is it important for people to contribute to the Dianne Polseno Scholarship Fund?

A. The Dianne Polseno Scholarship is keeping alive the legacy of an outstanding massage therapist and leader in the field. In the course of applying for the scholarship I learned about her career and what kind of person she was. Her example is an inspiration to upcoming massage therapists of what a tremendous impact one individual can have in this field. Donating to this scholarship fund is a great way to "pay forward" the support received at the onset of your massage therapy career.​ In addition to providing financial support to scholarship winners, it also introduces them to the wealth of support that is available through the AMTA and fellow massage therapists.

Stay tuned to hear from our 1st place winner!