SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Benjamin Theriault of Lewiston is one of 31 Susquehanna University juniors who will participate in the ninth annual London Program of the Sigmund Weis School of Business during the 2004 spring semester.

The program is designed to provide students with an international experience to develop and expand their learning capabilities and broaden their perspectives about possible careers.

While abroad, students will complete courses in operations management, quantitative methods for business, international business practice and management and organizational behavior.

They will be educated in British Theater, during which time they will attend plays and meet with actors and directors. They will tour businesses throughout Europe, from steel plants to investment banks.

A finance and marketing major at Susquehanna University and 2001 graduate of Lewiston High School, Theriault is the son of Ron and Luanne Theriault of Lewiston.

Student earns

a first

Jacob Allen, a 1999 graduate of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, earned first-place honors in the upper college music theater division at the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition.

A senior at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., he is the son of Shirley Allen, of Oxford and Daniel Allen of South Paris.

The two-day competition, on Nov. 7 and 8 on the Lawrence campus, featured more than 420 singers from colleges and high schools throughout Wisconsin. Competitors are required to sing between two and four classical pieces from different musical eras and at least one selection must be sung in a foreign language. Mezzo-soprano Karen Brunssen and two state voice teachers served as jurors.

Massage school graduates students

WALDOBORO – The Downeast School of Massage held commencement exercises for 17 new massage therapists from the 35th graduating class and approximately 175 guests on Nov. 15, at the school.

Christine Niero, Ph.d., executive director for the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, was guest speaker.

Niero is responsible for the administration of a certification program that is national in scope and formally recognized in 28 states and the District of Columbia. She talked about the significance of the data about massage and complementary medicine collected by the board and how it has impacted the certification exam and the industry. There are 75,000 certificants nationally who must renew their certification every four years with continuing education and other requirements made by the board.

Although it is not a requirement for DSM graduates to take the national certification exam in order to be licensed in Maine upon graduation, nearly 100 percent of the graduating class expressed intent to take it to attain this national credential.

Mary Whiting represented the classes by making comments to the audience. Graduate Fran Mckay and her mother Gracie Davis performed “The Longest Walk,” a Passamoquoddy song.

Nancy Waltz Dail, nationally-certified massage therapist and director of the school, delivered a few words before passing out diplomas with Director of Admissions Cindi Yawdik, the director of education, Suzanne Ash, and AMTA President Cheryl Tardy.

Area graduates are: Timothy Ketcham of Farmington and Alicia Parrot of Lewiston.

The Downeast School of Massage is accepting applications for the January 2004 program. Call 832-5531 for a catalog or more information about their frequent open houses or visit their Web sites at: www.downeastschoolofmassage.net and at www.dsmstore.net.