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Beauty Changes Lives Foundation and Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart Announce Vidal Sassoon Scholarship Winners
Six future hairstylists are one step closer to a career in the professional beauty industry thanks to receiving a Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Basic Scholarship from Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart, and administered by the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation.
by Staff
April 12, 2017
Joanna Grant (Gastonia, NC) – Student at Aveda Institute, Charlotte
As a Middle East immigrant arriving in America, Joanna felt “uninvited” and resolved to work in a career where she could honor diversity and inspire others to see beauty in all its forms. Her passion for diversity also extends to goals for life after graduating cosmetology school. While Joanna hopes to use her hairdressing knowledge behind the chair and in editorial work, she also dreams of helping young people escape from human trafficking operations.
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Six future hairstylists are one step closer to a career in the professional beauty industry thanks to receiving a Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Basic Scholarship. Generously funded by Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart, and administered by the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation, the scholarship honors hairstyling icon Vidal Sassoon’s lifelong commitment to professional education, while covering 50% of cosmetology school tuition up to $10,000.
Each winner in the Spring 2017 Basic Scholarship competition submitted a video, addressing how a career in the beauty industry would change not only their life, but the lives of others. Applicants drew on diverse life stories ranging from arriving in the U.S. as a Middle Eastern immigrant to performing in the national Broadway tour of Phantom of the Opera. Following is information about each of the Spring 2017 Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Basic Scholarship winners:
Joanna Grant (Gastonia, NC) – Student at Aveda Institute, Charlotte
Mary Rouse (Lexington, KY) – Paul Mitchell the School – Lexington
Hanh Nguyen (Oakland Gardens, NY) – Arrojo Cosmetology School
Deseray Gonock (Phoenix, AZ) – Penrose Academy
Grace Morgan (New York, NY) – Arrojo Cosmetology School
Ashley Williams (Tempe, AZ) – Penrose Academy
“Although these scholarship winners have varied backgrounds, they each share a common value that is characteristic of the industry—helping others look and feel their best,” said Lynelle Lynch, President of the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation. “Many of the video applications focused on how Vidal Sassoon’s commitment to helping others inspired their career journey, and we’re so honored to have the support of Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart to fund these NextGen artists’ journeys.”
Since launching in 2013, the Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship has changed the lives of 192 aspiring and licensed hairstylists. The program is administered by the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation, a 501c3 that seeks to elevate, educate and empower the next generation of beauty professionals.
“Education is the cornerstone of excellence in our industry,” said Sal Mauceri, Coty Senior Vice President North America Professional Beauty and Global OPI. “Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart is pleased to help these six talented hairstylists as they begin this life-changing career in the beauty industry. We’re proud to honor Vidal Sassoon’s inspiring commitment to education and his legacy of innovation through this namesake scholarship.”
Scholarship winners are selected by a panel of award-winning hairstylists, platform artists and educators. Applications are evaluated in three core areas: creativity/innovation, communication and creativity. While professionalism and technical details are important in scoring, judges focus on each applicant’s passion for the industry and vision for how their career in beauty will change lives.
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