Congratulations are in order for some lucky cosmetology students! Beauty Changes Lives and The Sydell & Arnold Miller Foundation have announced the winners of six cosmetology and esthetic scholarships for the Summer 2022 season. For those who don’t know, Sydell & Arnold Miller Family Foundation Scholarships are awarded twice annually to students enrolled in an accredited cosmetology or esthetics program.
“The generous financial support the Miller Family Foundation provides to next gen talent is making a difference to the future of professional beauty, one winner at a time,” says Lynelle Lynch, president of Beauty Changes Lives. “We are honored that the Miller family’s generosity is nurturing emerging talent and helping change lives.”
Ahead, see all of the Summer 2022 winners below and how they plan to use their scholarship money to help support their careers.
Brindee Heaton, @_beautybybrin
Heaton is a student at Paul Mitchell The School in St. George, UT and is a recipient of the $15,000 Arnold M. Miller “Find A Way” Cosmetology Student Scholarship. She was born with a rare genetic condition called Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome (LAS), which is characterized by increased hair shedding due to poorly developed follicles. As a little girl, Heaton always dreamt of having long hair like Rapunzel. “My young brain could not comprehend that that wasn’t even physically possible,” she says. She owes her passion for pursuing a career in hair to her mother’s creativity with hair pieces and determination to give her the long braids she always wanted as a child. She looks forward to using her Find a Way attitude to specialize and educate in the use of extensions to support those with hair conditions. “I have learned that Beauty Changes Lives and it has definitely changed mine! And I am finding my way!” says Heaton.
Tennille McClain, @angelicfacesmuartistry
McClain is a student at The Aesthetics Institute of St. Louise, MO and is a recipient of the $7,500 Sydell L. Miller “Total Image” Esthetics Student Scholarship. She has been a makeup artist for 15 years and considers transforming her clients for their wedding day as her favorite part of her job. She first realized that becoming an esthetician was her true calling five years ago after performing a makeup application on a client who complained about being insecure about the amount of hair growth on her face. Through that experience, she decided that she wanted to learn everything she could to help her clients be the best version of themselves by supporting the health of their skin. As she is currently an esthetic student, she hopes that this scholarship will financially support this new chapter in her life and follow her dream.
Alina Vorobyova, @alina_vorobyova1
Vorobyova is a student at Santa Monica Community College and is a recipient of the $7,500 Sydell L. Miller “Total Image” Esthetics Student Scholarship. She was born in Ukraine and later moved to the United States when she was just 17 years old. She found her true calling when she was hired for her first job at a makeup counter for Estee Lauder. After years spent working a s freelance makeup artists, she decided to take the next step and fulfill her dream of becoming an esthetician. She hopes to someday be financially secure to bring her family to the U.S. to share in her dreams.
Ashley Gose, @your_hairbyashley
Gose is a student at The Forum Academy in American Fork, UT and is the recipient of the $5,000 Sydell & Arnold Miller Foundation “Art of Hairdressing” Cosmetology Student Scholarship. She believes that styling hair is a way for her to express her art and one day hopes to specialize in updos and coloring. Gose loves that there is “no limit to creativity in this industry and it’s actually a good thing to step outside of your comfort zone.” She is a single mom of two and winning this scholarship will alleviate some of the stress and pressure of student loans.
Reagan Hibdon, @reagan.hibdon
Hibdon is a student at TIGI Hairdressing Academy in Colorado Springs, CO and is the recipient of the $5,000 Sydell & Arnold Miller Foundation “Art of Haircutting” Cosmetology Student Scholarship. She decided to pursue cosmetology because she enjoys enhancing other’s natural beauty and love to see their confidence grow when she reveals the final product. According to Hibdon, “innovation is an important aspect of cosmetology. The world has enough hairstylists, it just needs originality. This career needs a unique and creative person who brings new ideas!” Winning this scholarship will help her achieve her goal of bringing something new to the beauty industry that has never been done before.
Marisol Pineda-Cermano, @marisolpineda.hair
Pineda-Cermano is a student at The Salon Professional Academy in San Jose, CA and is the recipient of the $5,000 Sydell & Arnold Miller Foundation “Art of Haircoloring” Cosmetology Student Scholarship. She previously worked as a medical assistant for five years and at 26 years of age, she decided to follow her dream and go back to school to become a cosmetologist. Pineda-Cermano had previously enrolled in cosmetology school when she was 16 but found herself pregnant with her first child and unable to continue the program because she needed to focus on her family. Now with three kids, she currently goes to school full-time and commutes three hours, while her husband has two jobs to support her in her goal. She says that receiving this scholarship will help her achieve her goals and finally start this chapter of her life.
For information about all open scholarships, be sure to visit beautychangeslives.org/scholarships/ or follow @beautychangeslives on Instagram.
