Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga Community CollegeCuyahoga Community College
  • Getting Started
  • Paying for College
  • Classes, Programs & Certificates
  • Student Resources
  • Community
  • Alumni
  • Give
  • my Tri-C space
  • Workforce Training
  • Community Education
  • Corporate College
  • News & Events
  • About Tri-C

Categories

  • All Categories
  • Tri-C
  • Eastern Campus
  • Metropolitan Campus
  • Western Campus
  • Westshore Campus
  • Creative Arts
  • Health Careers
  • Hospitality
  • Information Technology
  • Manufacturing
  • Public Safety
  • Events
  • JazzFest
  • Alumni
  • Athletics
  • Faculty
  • #mytricstory
  • Tri-C Famous
  • Student Success
  • Veterans
  • Community Involvement
  • Corporate College
  • Equity In Outcomes
  • Gifts and Grants
  • Pathway Programs
  • Workforce Impact
  • Tri-C Home
  • »
  • News and Events
  • »
  • news
  • »
  • Tri-C Fall 2019 Graduate Profile: Paul Fabek

A Hands-On Approach

When Paul Fabek decided to change careers, he found a new path in Tri-C’s Massage Therapy program

Paul FabekPaul Fabek always wanted a career in which he could help people. But it wasn’t until he enrolled in Cuyahoga Community College’s (Tri-C®) Massage Therapy program that he found a way to do it — one person at a time.

Fabek is set to earn an advanced massage therapy certificate from Tri-C this month as he continues a career transition that began less than two years ago.

The 30-year-old Gates Mills resident previously performed waste management and project management duties at various companies throughout Northeast Ohio. But although the work was meaningful, he discovered it just wasn’t for him.

“It’s a great career for a lot of people, but I didn’t get the sense of accomplishment I was looking for personally,” Fabek said.

Thinking a change of scenery might help, Fabek moved to Denver in 2015. But the strain of being 1,200 miles away from his family brought him back home two years later. That’s when he found himself at a career crossroads.

“I was back in Cleveland looking for a new job, so it’s basically, do I look for another environmental job, or do I do something else?” he said.

Fabek chose the latter. He’d always had an interest in massage therapy, so he decided to enroll at Tri-C. The College’s post-degree certificate in massage therapy took him in a new direction from the bachelor’s degree in sustainability he earned from Baldwin Wallace University in 2011.

“I like the immediacy of the impact,” he said of massage therapy. “You can see the results right away, for each patient you work with.”

The advanced certificate from Tri-C follows the post-degree certificate he received from the College in August. He’s currently employed at a health and wellness center in Hudson and has been accepted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Cleveland State University.

“The program at Tri-C has been amazing,” Fabek said. “My instructors really opened my eyes to the possibilities and gave me the confidence to not just get into this career, but move up in it. When you come to Tri-C, you know your professors and the administrators are always there to help everyone succeed, whether it’s in class or the clinic, or meeting one-on-one.

“I truly believe massage therapists who come out of Tri-C have an advantage, whether moving on in their education or entering the workplace.”

Cuyahoga Community College will celebrate the academic achievements of nearly 1,800 graduates on Dec. 17 at Fall Commencement. Check our News and Events page in the days leading up to the ceremony as we highlight members of the Class of 2019.

December 12, 2019

Erik Cassano, 216-987-3577 erik.cassano@tri-c.edu

Ask TRI-C

Welcome to Cuyahoga Community College's online knowledge base of frequently asked questions and answers.

Visit Ask Tri-C

Live Chat

Welcome to the Online Service Center @ Cuyahoga Community College! Live Chat provides users with general information about the enrollment processes at Tri-C

Chat Now

Contact Us

Tri-C
216-987-6000
Corporate College
216-987-2800
Phone Directory Tri-C 24/7 Ask Us a Question

Campuses & Locations

Parking Visit Tri-C Request More Information

Connect With Us

  • Like Us On Facebook
  • Follow Us On Twitter
  • Connected With Us On LinkedIn
  • Follow Us On Instagram
  • Subscribe to Us On Youtube
my TRI-C space Blackboard Employment Accreditation

© 2014 Cuyahoga Community College 700 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115Privacy PolicyAdministrative DepartmentsCampus Police