Wallace State hosting self-defense course for health care personnel

Hanceville, Ala. — Wallace State Community College will host a self-defense course geared toward medical personnel on Saturday, July 12 from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Wellness Center.

The free training event will be presented by Gentle Solutions and will focus on staying safe in the workplace. Topics to be covered include:

• Situational awareness and de-escalation tactics
• Tactics for making clear decisions under stress
• Optimal angles for approaching potentially aggressive patients
• Protection and prevention from striking
• Grip breaking and disengaging strategies

Instructors for the July 12 event will be Gentle Solutions co-founders Daniel O’Brien, Chris Thrasher and Matt Blankensopp. Both Thrasher and Blankensopp are graduates of Wallace State. Blankensopp was named a Nightingale Award winner when he graduated from the WSCC Nursing program in August 2023. All three men have martial arts training and black belts in multiple disciplines.

Blankensopp is a currently a critical care nurse at UAB and worked previously as a paramedic. Thrasher is currently a SWAT Operator with the Birmingham Police Department. O’Brien is the owner and head instructor of three successful grappling academies.

For more information about the workshop or Gentle Solutions, contact Matt Blankensopp at 205.243.3785 or matt@gentlesolutionstraining.com.

Wallace State’s Nursing program is currently accepting applications for Spring 2026. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 1. Information sessions are scheduled July 28, Aug. 25 and Sept. 15 for students interested in learning more about the program. All meetings are held at 2 p.m. in the School of Nursing and Center for Science. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu/nursing, call 256.352.8199 or email nursingapplicant@wallacestate.edu.

Registration for the Fall 2025 semester is underway, with classes beginning Aug. 19 for regular and Mini Term I classes. Registration and classes for Flex Start Term I begins Aug. 26 and on Sept. 2 for Flex Start Term II. Mini Term II classes begin Oct. 16.

For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call Lion Central at 256.352.8236 or come by the Hanceville or Oneonta campus centers. Current and incoming students may schedule an advising session with the Center for Student Success at www.wallacestate.edu/advising.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.