After a 23-year career in higher education dedicated to helping students improve their lives, Jeff Furlone wanted to find a new way to help people.
“I started looking for something new, where I could honor my need to remain active and healthy and still help people. I was in a helping profession in higher education, and I wanted to help people in a different way,” said Furlone, who most recently served as Dean of Student Affairs at Plymouth State University. “I wanted a new start.”
He found it at Great Bay Community College, where he enrolled in the one-year Massage Therapy certificate program. When he completes the program in August, he will be qualified to work in a range of professions and settings, including in sports medicine, physical therapy, hospitals, medical and chiropractic offices, as well as spas, resorts, and gyms.
“In massage therapy, I am helping people practice a form of self-care. That is the main driver. I have a desire to go into hospice massage at some point, to provide comfort for folks suffering in other ways so they can feel better,” he said.
The certificate in Massage Therapy will be Furlone’s fourth academic credential. He has an Associate Degree in Chemical Dependency and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety from Keene State College and a Master of Education in Human Relations Counseling from Plymouth State.
His career in higher education has involved several areas of responsibility, all focused on crisis intervention and helping students.
Great Bay has met his personal and professional goals. He likes what he is learning, appreciates the attention of his professors and the Great Bay staff, and he is encouraged by the prospects of finding meaningful work.
“The way Great Bay helps us connect with local professional massage therapists through externships is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in a real-world setting, which leads directly to gainful employment. This is an outcome-based program, which I really appreciate.”
Even though he has spent his professional life in higher education, Furlone said going back as an adult learner was a new and scary experience. The welcoming spirit of the college eased the transition.
“I really like the attention I get at Great Bay. It’s a wonderful school. Everybody is just so kind and welcoming,” he said, noting the time Massage Therapy Program Coordinator Martha Holland spent with him when he inquired at the admissions office on a whim.
“I had a fantastic meeting. She was kind, personable, encouraging. She talked to me for about an hour, and I was hooked. She asked good questions about me, my life, and what I intended to do. I left there knowing I was a good match for the program.”
