MOULTRIE — In a career field that is overwhelmingly staffed by females, three Moultrie Technical College neuromuscular therapy (NMT) students planned to break the glass ceiling when they walked across the stage at Withers Auditorium as the first-ever male graduates of the NMT program during the college’s semi-annual Commencement Ceremony held Friday night.

Adolph Stokes, 39, of Moultrie, John White, 23, of Thomasville, and Jose Zepeda, 23, of Tifton, were part of a class of 10 NMT graduates during this academic year at Moultrie Tech’s Industrial Drive Campus in Moultrie. The class makeup holds close to the national statistic in which 80 percent of all neuromuscular therapists are women.

As one of only two NMT programs at technical colleges in the state of Georgia, the year-long program is also known as deep tissue massage therapy. Graduates are hired in positions at doctors’ offices, chiropractors’ offices, spas, salons and in self-employment.

Stokes, who is already a graduate of MTC’s esthetics technology program, plans to work in his pre-established business, ABC Salon located on the Downtown Square in Moultrie. He will perform skin care services and massage services.

White will graduate from the esthetics technology program as well after completing those requirements during MTC’s upcoming summer quarter. He plans to practice both massage and esthetics.

Zepeda is currently looking for employment in the massage therapy field.

The three NMT students were among hundreds of MTC graduates, as the college recognized 300 allied health, business and computers, personal and public service, and technical and industrial program graduates in addition to more than 140 adult education (GED) program graduates from its four-county service area of Colquitt, Tift, Turner and Worth.

MTC President Tina Anderson congratulated the winter and spring quarter graduating classes of 2009 as MTC early childhood care and education instructor and 2008 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year award winner Kathryn Kent led the faculty, staff and graduate processional as the event’s marshal.

MTC Board of Directors members Bill Boone, of the Center of Innovation for Agriculture in Tifton, and Lauren Howell, of Howell & Parrott law firm in Moultrie, assisted the college’s administration in the conferring of awards. 

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the commencement address given by Robb Howell, a trial lawyer and a partner in the Howell & Parrott law firm in Moultrie. Howell is also a member of the Moultrie Tech Foundation Board of Directors, among many other community leadership roles.

The faculty, staff, graduates and their friends and families were also treated to an inspirational solo by Moultrie Tech’s NMT instructor Amber Schwalls.