What is your name and what position do you hold with the massage therapy club student group?

Andrew Braun: My name is Andrew Braun, and I am the massage therapy club’s student president.

Were you the founder of the group, and how long has the group been around?

AB: I believe the group has been around for 10 years. Every year a second-year student gets elected to be the president, so basi cally, my year elected me.

What made the students want to start the club?

AB: The main reason is to get more awareness for the massage therapy club. But also to raise funds for the massage therapy program. And help build the program up because it started very small but is increasing in numbers of students every year.

What sort of events does the club put together?

AB: Usually, it’s slightly different. Last year they went to the legislature and did chair massages for donations. However, this year we can’t do a lot of the in-person stuff, so we are planning an event soon. It’s going to be a baking show online for people to join and do that with us. We are also planning an art event, but there just isn’t a lot that we can do right now in the form of massages since we can’t be in person.

What is your favourite thing about being involved in the club?

AB: Honestly, for me, it’s about connecting to the students in my class, especially the first-years. I got to go in, social distancing, to meet the first-year students in the program, which was great. I get to make a lot of connections with the students and the teachers.

What do the funds that you raise go towards?

AB: Usually, the funds go towards a graduation party. If there are any left, they would most likely go towards other needs for the students in the program or the program itself, but mostly towards the grad.

Is the massage therapy group just for students in the massage therapy program?

AB: Yes, at this time, it is only open for program students to join, but we want to bring awareness to others.

Is there anything else you would like potential members to know?

AB: We are always here to help out. We like talking to any group. We have had students ask us our opinion on massages, which is really cool, and to know that we are there because many students don’t even know that we have a program and I want them to know that we do, and it is quite exceptional.

Edited for length and clarity.