EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

Curriculum 

The ISPA Foundation believes that spas are a critical resource in our goal to expand the health and well being of people everywhere. The rejuvenating and restorative results spa professionals provide make a difference in the quality of everyday people's lives.

A primary component in enhancing the role of spas is to educate spa professionals in a consistent, formalized and accredited manner. By making each individual spa professional stronger - and by recruiting others into the spa profession - the entire industry becomes stronger.

To that end, the ISPA Foundation has begun the process of instituting a full-fledged Spa Management curriculum for institutions of higher learning, several of which have already adopted the introductory text for use in a comprehensive spa management course. 

Tools and textbooks created by the Foundation include:

• The Certified Spa Supervisor program
• Code of Conduct - available in four languages
• The Compensation Workbook
• Retail Management for Spas textbook
• Risk Management e-learning program
• Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction
• Supervisory Skills Builders workbooks for the Certified Spa Supervisor
• Uniform System of Financial Reporting for Spas

Additional texts covering financial management, sales, marketing and public relations are also in development.

Scholarship

2011 application period ended March 18

The Mary H. Tabacchi Scholarship was created in 2006 and named in honor of Mary Tabacchi, Ph.D., RD, Associate Professor, Hospitality Facilities and Operations at Cornell University. Dr. Tabacchi is a spa industry veteran and pioneer in spa education.

The ISPA Foundation's Mary Tabacchi Scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student who has completed at least one-year of college and is seeking a spa-related degree with a demonstrated interest in spa management. The recipient will receive $2,500 USD to offset their education expenses, as well as registration, airfare and hotel accommodations to attend the ISPA Conference & Expo. A gift form is located below if you would like to make a contribution. 

ELIGIBILITY 

A selection committee will review applications based on the following requirements.

Student must be enrolled:

• part- or full-time, in a two-or four-year spa-related program, with a demonstrated interest or emphasis in spa management;
• with a minimum of one year completed at a postsecondary educational institution.

Applicants must:

• have a minimum GPA (or international equivalent) of 2.75;
• complete a scholarship application, which includes an essay section that describes their skills and qualifications, as well as personal and professional goals;
• submit at least two references, one of which must be from their school advisor, indicating their enrollment status, year in school and emphasis in spa management;
• submit original college transcripts that include evidence of courses taken and GPA (or international equivalent).