New Wichita school offers degrees along with a great perk even for nonstudents

UPDATED — This year’s back-to-school season is going to include a new school for Wichita.

WellSpring School of Allied Health is taking 10,700 square feet near Kellogg and Tyler where Tuesday Morning used to be.

The school offers certificates and associates degrees in massage therapy, fitness, nutrition and medical assisting.

WellSpring is based in Kansas City, Mo., and is entering its 30th year in business.

In January, the school opened in temporary space at Carriage Parkway until the new permanent space is ready. There are currently 20 students taking massage training.

Campus director Mike Hauser says the school was looking for a place to expand and thinks Wichita is the right place because market analysis shows “there’s a void here.”

“There’s a need for . . . particularly the massage therapy program here in Wichita.”

He says the school has engaged with salon and spa owners who say they need trained professionals.

“It just made sense.”

So far, WellSpring is offering degrees in massage therapy here. This fall, it also will offer medical assisting training. Those two courses of studies are all that are planned in the first year, though that could change, Hauser says.

Each degree takes different lengths of time.

For massage, a certificate level program takes 12 months, and students can earn an associates of occupational science degree in almost 16 months.

Hauser says the courses go beyond basic massage techniques.

“It’s a pretty comprehensive program.”

A medical assisting certificate takes 64 weeks, and it takes 104 weeks for an associates degree.

Program costs depend on a variety of things, including scholarships and financial aid packages.

“Each package is a little different,” Hauser says.

For the massage program, there will be five classrooms and an operating massage clinic within the school “so students can do their clinical hours that they need to complete their program.”

Much like beauty schools offer discounted services to the public so students can practice, WellSpring will, too. Prices aren’t set yet, but a massage at the school in Kansas City is $35 an hour — a significant savings off the price of a massage elsewhere.

The first round of students won’t be ready to start their clinical phase until January.

Hauser says the school is already getting calls from people wanting massages. From a personal side, he says he understands the excitement.

“That’s one of the benefits of working here.”

There will be three full-time employees including Hauser, two part-time and 14 adjunct faculty.

Jake Ramstack and Mark Murphy of InSite Real Estate Group and Austin Swisher and Christi Royse of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal.

The new school space should be ready by the middle of fall, Hauser says.

“We’re pretty excited to be here.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2019 at 6:49 AM.