On September 5, 2025, Century College Orthotic and Prosthetic Programs celebrated its 50-year anniversary at the National Assembly of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association with a gathering for graduates and supporters of the programs. The event was hosted by Joanna Kenton, MHA, CPO/L, FAAOP, professor of prosthetic education, and the college’s O&P program director, and me, a now retired founding professor of orthotic education and past program director. All in attendance shared memories about the programs.
Although the programs were officially offered in 1975, the idea of creating O&P programs in Minnesota started in 1968. Four visionaries came together to explore local O&P education in addition to existing programs that were struggling to fill the need for the ever-increasing demand for O&P practitioners and technicians.
Bob Gruman, owner, Winkley Company, Minnesota; John Henrickson, president, Otto Bock USA, Minnesota; Loren Jewett, CO, Jewett Orthopedics, Florida; and LeRoy Nattress, PhD, clinical professor of Loma Linda University School of Public Health, California, envisioned a program that would encompass real-world clinical experiences with formal educational content to produce a well-rounded professional versed in the current patient management practices, materials, and related technologies that would advance the profession to a higher standard.
They collaborated for a year to establish a framework and formed the Institute for Continuing Professional Education in 1970 to move forward in establishing a formal program.
They brought their proposal to the University of Minnesota (U of M) General College, which was opening a bachelor’s degree program through independent study. Their proposal was met with enthusiasm, and Barbara Killen, PhD, dean, General College, brought it before the regents for approval. The program was offered in the 1971 fall quarter. It was designed to be a Bachelor of Applied Studies Degree with an area of concentration in orthotics and prosthetics. The curriculum included 30 quarter credits of independent study in all aspects of the profession. Formal lectures were held at the Winkley and Otto Bock facilities presented by the professionals who were employed there. The faculty included Ken Palm, CO, orthotic patient management, Winkley; Loren Mattson, CPO, prosthetic and prosthetic patient management, Winkley; Bob Gruman, business instructor, Winkley; Jesta Palm, orthotic technical instructor, Winkley; Fritz Schroeder, CPO, prosthetic patient management, Otto Bock; and Dwayne Van Stinwick, prosthetic technical instructor, Otto Bock.
The students included current employees of Winkley and Otto Bock: Greg Gruman, Winkley; Larry Byzewski, Winkley; Dan Hollen, Winkley; Jack Hendrickson, Otto Bock; and Bill Sandberg, Otto Bock. I was the only student from U of M, and part of my independent study included responsibility for scheduling lectures, lecture outlines, areas of studies, and establishing an O&P library.
In August 1972 I became the first graduate of the program.
Unfortunately, the Educational Accreditation Committee, which was the predecessor of the National Commission on Orthotics and Prosthetic Education, chose not to accredit the program nor did the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics recognize the coursework toward standing for the certification exam. The U of M program was withdrawn, but all students went on to the University of Chicago and completed the orthotics and prosthetics short-term courses and became certified.
Although this was a setback, Nattress, Gruman, and Hendrickson were joined by local practitioners Dick Neisen, CP, Bob Kroll, CO, and Ken Palm, CO, to carry on the vision of a local program. They went to the Minnesota Department of Vocational Education to explore the possibility of the creation of an O&P technical program. The Department of Vocational Education was excited about their proposal and coordinated the creation of the program at the newly established Special Intermediate School District 916 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, now Century College. William Knaak, PhD, was the president of the institution and the developer of the individual, modular, self-paced instructional model of education that was well suited for delivering all types of technical curriculum including O&P.
Ken Chagnon, CPO, a practitioner from Wisconsin, was hired as lead instructor in 1973 to establish the curriculum, design the laboratory, recruit students, and hire additional instructors. The first O&P technician class opened on January 6, 1975, with 19 students. There was so much interest in the program that two of the U of M students, Sandberg and I, were hired as instructors. Tom Firman, CO, another local technician, was hired in 1976.
Once the technical program was well established, the vision of having the practitioner-level program moved forward. In 1978, Special Intermediate School District 916 established an affiliation agreement with the University Medical School to award a joint diploma for the Orthotic and Prosthetic Practitioner programs. David Harris, CP, a local prosthetics practitioner, was hired to develop the prosthetics program and the first class was offered August 22, 1980.
In November 1980, an orthotics practitioner from Wisconsin, Stewart Crenshaw, CO, was hired to establish the Orthotic Practitioner program. The first class of the Orthotic Practitioner program was opened on March 1, 1982.
In 2014, the Century College Orthotics and Prosthetics Practitioner Programs transitioned to a Master of Science degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics in affiliation with Concordia University.
This collaboration combined master’s level courses at Concordia University with patient-management experience at Century College’s campus.
The O&P programs have experienced growth throughout the last 50 years. Century College is the only O&P educational institute to offer all levels of O&P education with programs, including:
- Master of Science degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics, in affiliation with Concordia University
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician, Associate of Applied Science degree or diploma
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistant, diploma
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Fitter, Associate of Applied Science degree
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Clinical Applications, diploma
The unique quality of the Century College programs and the affiliation with Concordia University master’s degree program is that through the career ladder approach a person can transition from high school exploration to a master’s degree, or any level in between, at the same institution.
Some of the notable achievements of the program include:
- 50 years of educational excellence and innovation
- The longest running O&P technician program in the country
- The only institution to offer all levels of O&P education through a career ladder approach
- Internationally recognized
- Two outstanding Educator of the Year awards in Orthotics and Prosthetics (Steve Stolberg and I)
- Students from every state and over 17 countries
- The most comprehensive O&P library dating back to the Civil War (with a special thanks to our Century College head librarian, Cheryl Langevin)
This all would not be possible without the many people that assisted in its 50-year journey, and a thank you goes out to all those involved in establishing and growing the program throughout the years: the people who drove its establishment, the educational institutions and credentialing bodies, and the instructors.
A special thank you to all the students, past, present, and future, for selecting a profession of serving others, and for the dedication to your education. They are a significant part of the history of the programs and certainly the future of the profession. All this would not have been possible without them.
I believe that I speak for all the O&P professors in saying that we learned as much from our students as they did from us, and that has led to the 50 years of building excellence in education.
As the Century College O&P programs move into the next 50 years, it is expected they will continue providing graduates who enhance the profession. It is of note that four of the five professors are Century College alumni, an accomplishment that speaks to the success of the programs.
Edward Haddon, MEd, CO(E), is one of the three founding instructors of the programs, and although retired he is still involved with the programs as a substitute professor, lecturer, and consultant.
For additional information on the O&P programs at Century College visit century.edu/programs/orthotic-and-prosthetic-clinical-applications.
For information about the Master of Science degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics visit csp.edu/program/orthotics-and-prosthetics-ms.
Photographs courtesy of Edward Haddon.
