ISPA Foundation Announces Inaugural Recipient of the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The International SPA Association Foundation announces Arizona State University student Michelle Bashore as the first beneficiary of the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship. Bashore will receive $2,500 toward her education as well as a trip to the 2008 ISPA Conference & Expo, Nov. 10-13 in Las Vegas.
“We are pleased to recognize Michelle Bashore as the first recipient of the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship,” said ISPA Foundation President Edwin Neill III. “After reading Michelle’s application, the selection committee knew she was a perfect fit for this inaugural scholarship because of her impressive background, dedication to education, and passion for wellness.”
Bashore added, “I am honored to receive the first-ever Mary Tabacchi Scholarship. My belief in total health and wellness has led me to where I am today, on the verge of graduation and into a field that will allow me to attain that goal. I am interested in the spa industry because I feel that wellness, beauty and relaxation should be a priority in everyone’s life.”
Bashore’s interest in the spa industry began when she earned her manicurist and esthetician license from Colorado’s Glenwood Beauty Academy. She then moved to Arizona and received an Arts degree from Mesa Community College before enrolling at Arizona State University. At ASU, Bashore is registered in the spa management program and one day hopes to manage her own spa in Denver, Colo.
The scholarship is named in honor of industry pioneer and Cornell University Associate Professor Mary H. Tabacchi, Ph.D., R.D. “I am pleased that Michelle Bashore has accepted the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship,” added Tabacchi. “It is my belief that carefully chosen recipients of this scholarship will become national and international leaders in the mind/body/spirit spa community.”
The Mary Tabacchi Scholarship is one part of the newly-established endowment fund that was created to provide a permanent resource for the growth and sustainability of the spa industry. Applications for the 2009 Mary Tabacchi Scholarship will be available in October through www.experienceispa.com.
About the ISPA Foundation
Created in 1999 to serve the educational and research needs of the spa industry through endowments, curriculum development and scholarships, the ISPA Foundation is the nonprofit 501(c)3 arm of ISPA. The ISPA Foundation’s mission is to improve and enhance the value of the spa experience while supporting its vision of sustainable health and well-being through the advancement of spa culture. For more information on the ISPA Foundation and opportunities for involvement, please visit www.experienceispa.com.