Five years ago, MODERN SALON Media teamed up with the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) to create Excellence in Education, a program that helps the school community collect and share examples of great work being done across the country.

We were thrilled to have top schools in the U.S. enter Excellence in Education 2015 and have chosen a select few that we believe show leadership and best practices that other schools can learn and grow from. Honorees were determined based on key criteria in each category and grouped according to school size or number of locations.

Entrants could enter one or more of the eight categories: 

  • Beauty Changes Lives
  • Community Involvement 
  • Facilities
  • The Next Level
  • Marketing Innovation
  • Placement
  • School Culture
  • Technology

Two top honorees will be recognized in each category—one individual school location, and a multi-location school organization—and announced Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the AACS Annual Convention & Expo in Phoenix, Arizona. 

"There are so many beauty schools out there doing amazing work," says Steve Reiss, MODERN SALON Media vice president/group publisher. "We’d like to made sure they get the attention they deserve—especially at a time when our industry seems to have so many challenges. Excellence in Education gives us an opportunity to recognize their best practices and the wonderful job they are doing educating the next generation of professional stylists."

2015 Excellence in Education Finalists

BEAUTY CHANGES LIVES

Individual locations:

Fewer than 75 students
Crave Beauty Academy, Ballwin, MO
State College of Beauty Culture, Wausau, WI

76-125 students
Crave Beauty Academy, Wichita, KS
Avenue Five Institute, Austin, TX

More than 126 students
Paul Mitchell the School Esani, Roswell, GA
Clary Sage College, Tulsa, OK
The Institute of Beauty and Wellness, Milwaukee, WI

Multi-unit schools (complete organization):
Paul Mitchell Schools, Sandy, UT
Nurtur Aveda Institutes, Columbus, OH
Bellus Academy, Poway, CA

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Individual locations:

Fewer than 75 students
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX
Razzle Dazzle College of Hair Design, Nampa, ID
Empire Beauty School, Framingham, MA
Empire Beauty School, Greensboro, NC

76-125 students
Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Albuquerque, NM
Pulse Beauty Academy, Downington, PA
DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, West Springfield, MA

More than 126 students
Summit Salon Academy, Tacoma, WA
Clary Sage College, Tulsa, OK
Cameo College of Essential Beauty, Murray, UT
Penrose Academy, Scottsdale, AZ

Multi-unit schools:
Nurtur Aveda Institutes, Columbus, OH
Paul Mitchell Schools, Sandy, UT
Empire Education Group, Pottsville, PA
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX
Bellus Academy, Poway, CA
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture, Oak Brook, IL

THE NEXT LEVEL

Individual locations:

Fewer than 75 students
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX
Crave Beauty Academy, Ballwin, MO
Arrojo Cosmetology School, New York, NY

76-125 students
Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS
Crave Beauty Academy, Wichita, KS
Aveda Institute Nashville, Franklin, TN

More than 126 students
The Institute of Beauty and Wellness, Milwaukee, WI
Federico Beauty Institute, Sacramento, CA
Paul Mitchell the School Esani, Roswell, GA

Multi-unit schools:
Paul Mitchell Schools, Sandy, UT
Nurtur Aveda Institutes, Columbus, OH
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX

MARKETING INNOVATION

Individual locations:

Fewer than 75 students
Ogle School, Arlington, TX
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX
State College of Beauty Culture, Wausau, WI

76-125 students
Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS
DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, West Springfield, MA
Altoona Beauty School, Altoona, PA

More than 126 students
Penrose Academy, Scottsdale, AZ
Paul Mitchell the School Chicago, Chicago, IL

Multi-unit locations:
Nurtur Aveda Institutes, Columbus, OH
Aveda Institutes South, Hammond, LA
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture, Oak Brook, IL
Bellus Academy, Poway, CA
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX

PLACEMENT

Individual locations:

Fewer than 25 students
Crave Beauty Academy, Ballwin, MO
State College of Beauty Culture, Wausau, WI

76-125 students
Aveda Institute Nashville, Franklin, TN
Bella Capelli Academy, Pittsburgh, PA
Crave Beauty Academy, Wichita, KS

More than 126 students
Paul Mitchell the School Esani, Roswell, GA
Cameo College of Essential Beauty, Murray, UT
Aveda Institute of Tallahassee, Tallahassee, FL

Multi-unit locations
Evergreen Beauty College, Everett, WA
Paul Mitchell Schools, Sandy, UT
Nurtur Aveda Institutes, Columbus, OH
Empire Education Group, Pottsville, PA

SCHOOL CULTURE

Individual locations:

Fewer than 75 students
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX
Arrojo Cosmetology School, New York, NY
Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design, Greenville, NC

76-125 students
Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS
DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, West Springfield, MA
Bella Capelli Academy, Pittsburgh, PA
Altoona Beauty School, Altoona, PA
Paul Mitchell the School Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL

More than 126 students
Aveda Institute Portland, Portland, OR
Clary Sage College, Tulsa, OK
Paul Mitchell the School Chicago, Chicago, IL

Multi-unit locations
Aveda Institute, CO, AZ and UT, Denver, CO
Paul Mitchell Schools, Sandy, UT
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture, Oak Brook, IL
Nurtur Aveda Institutes, Columbus, OH
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX

TECHNOLOGY

Individual locations:

Fewer than 75 students
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX
Crave Beauty Academy, Ballwin, MO

76-125 students
Crave Beauty Academy, Wichita, KS
Paul Mitchell the School Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL

More than 126 students
Aveda Institute Portland, Portland, OR
Paul Mitchell the School Arlington, Paul Mitchell the School Dallas, Paul Mitchell the School San Antonio, TX
Paul Mitchell the School Chicago, Chicago, IL
The Institute of Beauty and Wellness, Milwaukee, WI

Multi-unit locations
Paul Mitchell Schools, Sandy, UT
Nurtur Aveda Institutes, Columbus, OH
TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, Plano, TX
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture, Oak Brook, IL
 

To learn more about MODERN SALON’s Excellence in Education program and how to apply, visit modernsalon.com/ExcellenceInEducation or contact Joyce Alverio at jalverio@vancepublishing.com.

 

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