The Beauty Changes Lives Foundation, through generous funding from Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart, has awarded 20 Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Program awards, honoring the legendary entrepreneur and hairstylist. Ten beauty school students received basic scholarships funding 50 percent of tuition (up to $10,000) at qualified cosmetology schools. Ten licensed hairstylists received advanced scholarships covering a five-day course at a Sassoon Academy in North America, including travel, lodging and course fees.

Basic scholarship winners and their respective schools are as follows: Elizabeth Carlisle, Metro Beauty Academy; Rachel Cox, Hays Academy of Hair Design; Neil Bellavia and Hanna Powell, both attending Cinta Aveda Institute; Morgan Howard, Aveda Fredric’s Institute; Isabelle Wills and Amber Valdez, both attending Rudy and Kelly Academy; Kelly Camp-Force, Aveda New York; Dana Pastore, ARROJO Cosmetology School; and Lucy Mora, Paul Mitchell the School-Logan.

Advanced winners and their employers are as follows: Rachel Lynn Carr, Salon Vivace; Tara Gross, Salon 600; Shelby Anderson, freelance hairstylist; Evgenia Rozea, Unkommen Hair Salon; Antonio Vozzolo, Kimera Salon; Mary Ecker, Synergy Salon; Misti Dort, Salon Red; Suzanne Grifa, Rejuve Salon & Spa: Jerica Wentzell, Sentia Hair Salon; and Danielle Torres, CUSH The Art of Hair.

“Vidal Sassoon 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,” said Wella, North America CEO Sal Mauceri.

Since the program’s launch in 2013, the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation has awarded 60 Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship awards to aspiring and licensed hairstylists, totaling nearly a half-million dollars. Wella has committed to funding $1.5M in Beauty Changes Lives scholarships through 2017.

Beauty Changes Lives Foundation President Lynelle Lynch said the Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship exemplifies the commitment to ongoing learning that characterized Vidal Sassoon’s career. “Vidal was a brilliant man who realized that no matter how successful one becomes, education is an ongoing part of the professional journey. We are honored to help individuals move forward on their career journey whether they are still in the cosmetology classroom or have already experienced success as a licensed professional,” she said.

Scholarship recipients are selected by a panel of industry professionals who evaluate applicants’ video and essay submissions using multiple criteria. An especially important component of the judging process is the applicant’s expression of how he or she will use a career in beauty and wellness to change lives. “It is beyond rewarding to see how the gift of education is changing lives and paying Vidal Sassoon’s legacy forward in a beautiful way,” Lynch said.

For more information on the basic and advanced scholarships and to view entry videos submitted by previous winners, please visit: www.beautychangeslives.org and www.hairdressersatheart.com.