Beauty Changes Lives Foundation Announces Spring 2016 Scholarship Winners

The Beauty Changes Lives Foundation, through generous funding from Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart, is pleased to award 20 Spring 2016 Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education scholarships. Launched in 2013, the nationwide competition awards 10 “Basic” scholarships covering 50% of tuition (up to $10,000) to students enrolled in a cosmetology program at a qualified 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.

Winners are determined by a panel of award-winning hairstylists, platform artists and educators. Each applicant is given a composite score that weighs written essays, inspiration boards and online videos. 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.

The multi-year, $1.5M scholarship program honors the legacy of Vidal Sassoon, his passion for lifelong learning and the value he placed on the hairstylist as educator. Advanced winner Julz Taus Coda shares Sassoon’s passion for education, particularly at a time when next gen talent relies heavily on technology as a teaching tool. “Teaching lets me cultivate the compassion and support that are so critical in learning and it’s something this industry is at risk of losing,” Taus says, noting that previous generations of stylists had to learn how to enhance their craft by learning from each other.

Spring 2016 “Basic” scholarship winners will bring a wide breadth of career experiences into the cosmetology classroom including work in finance, health care and professional theater. “The Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Program is making it possible for individuals to pursue a long-deferred dream of a career in beauty,” said Lynelle Lynch, president of the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation.

Wella North America CEO, Sal Mauceri noted that how Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship exemplifies the commitment to ongoing learning. “We are honored to help individuals move forward on their career journey,” said Mauceri. “It is a gift to see how education is changing lives and energizing and encouraging students to reach their highest potential.”

The Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship accept applications for its Fall 2016 competition from July 11 to September 19, 2016. Learn more at http://beautychangeslives.org/scholarships/.

About the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation: With a mission to elevate, educate and empower, Beauty Changes Lives is uniting the industry and building awareness of the extraordinary career opportunities in the beauty, wellness and massage therapy industries. Learn more at www.beautychangeslives.org or find us on Facebook