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Beauty Changes Lives Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Fall 2015 Scholarship Winners Announced
Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart and the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation are pleased to announce the winners of the Fall 2015 Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Program. The nationwide competition awards 10 ...
October 22, 2015
3 min to read
Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart and the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation are pleased to announce the winners of the Fall 2015 Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Program. The nationwide competition awards 10 “Basic” scholarships covering 50% of tuition (up to $10,000) to students enrolled in a cosmetology program at an American Association of Cosmetology Schools member school. In addition, 10 licensed hairstylists are awarded continuing education scholarships to attend a North American Sassoon Academy, including travel and course fees up to $5,000.
A panel comprised of award-winning hairstylists, platform artists and educators selected the Fall 2015 recipients.
Winners of the “Basic” Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Program are noted below:
Basic Winner | Beauty School | City, State |
Morgan Barkdull | Taylor Adams Academy of Hair | Orem, UT |
Olivia Carmichael | Paul Mitchell – The School, San Diego | San Diego, CA |
Mackenzie Cohen | Hair Design Institute of Apopka | Apopka, FL |
Sarah Domonte | Paul Mitchell - The School, Fort Myers | Fort Myers, FL |
Joanna Hill | Summit Salon Academy | Tacoma, WA |
Rachel Pochedly | Cinta Aveda Institute | San Francisco, CA |
Vanessa Rivera | Empire Beauty School | Avondale, AZ |
Lyttia Roseman | Paul Mitchell – The School, Tinley Park | Tinley Park, IL |
Jessica Walter | Paul Mitchell – The School, Overland Park | Overland Park, KS |
Leah Frisbee White | Gene Juarez | North Seattle, WA |
Winners of the “Advanced” Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Program and their employers are as follows:
Advanced Winner | Salon | City, State |
Rolando Aqui | Geo-Loft | Fresno, CA |
Sophie Davies | The Hair Parlor on 8th | Los Angeles, CA |
Margarette Damms | Colour Me Crazy | Humble, TX |
Martin Huerta | Sweet Escape Salon | Baytown, TX |
Kristin Isaac | Double Dutch | Denver, CO |
Jen Kohlenberger | JMC Hair Studio | Tustin, CA |
Sonya Millner | Muse Art Haus | Sacramento, CA |
Naomi Schumacher | Razzle Dazzle College | Nampa, ID |
Meghan Tomtas | Gallipott Salon | Fort Collins, CO |
Sumayah Wakely | Yasmeen Beauty Studio | Floral Park, NY |
The multi-year, $1.5M scholarship program honors beauty visionary and entrepreneur Vidal Sassoon’s lifelong passion for education. Several winners acknowledged how Sassoon’s legacy inspired their career and even their philosophy on life. “Vidal Sassoon brought hairdressing back to the basics – making hair low maintenance yet still modern and elegant. As a mother, I can appreciate the path he paved and incorporate his ideas into my own life and career,” wrote Leah White Frisbee in her scholarship application.
Advanced recipients also remarked on the role of mentors and industry leaders in shaping their career. “I had the opportunity to train with Nick Berardi and it was so inspiring. But I also find great insight from shows like Trend Vision that inspire me to take my career to the next level by applying for a Vidal Sassoon Academy experience,” says advanced winner Naomi Schumacher.
“Three years after his passing, Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart is pleased to see Vidal’s commitment to education live on through the Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship,” Wella North America CEO, Sal Mauceri notes. “Vidal transformed not just the art and science of hairstyling, but the world’s perception of hairstyling as a career. Many of the applicants in the scholarship competition shared how his artistic, entrepreneurial, and social vision inspired them to pursue a career in beauty.”
Beauty Changes Lives Foundation President Lynelle Lynch says the program provides an opportunity to elevate professional beauty careers at all levels of the industry. “For nearly three years, the Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Program has been opening the door for those who want to join the professional industry and accelerating the careers of licensed professionals. It’s inspiring to see the boost this scholarship program offers to emerging and established artists,” says Lynch.
Since launching in 2013, the Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Competition funded by Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart and administered by the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation has awarded 120 scholarships.
For more information on Basic and Advanced scholarships please visit: www.beautychangeslives.org and www.hairdressersatheart.com
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