Transforming Students as People with Responsibilities Beyond the Classroom

A cosmetology education is measured in more than hours spent in a classroom. For the students at Fullerton College, it can mean early mornings, long days, evening shifts after work, family responsibilities, financial pressures and the discipline required to keep moving forward. Program completion can take from one year to two and a half years, depending on the student’s pathway and schedule. What makes the journey meaningful is the way those demands are met with equally strong support from faculty, college resources, industry connections and a learning environment built to prepare students for life beyond graduation. Students are at the center of the Fullerton College cosmetology experience. Faculty members see their role as helping learners develop not only technical ability, but also the resilience, professionalism, time management, adaptability and work ethic required to build a lasting career. Ken Starkman, Dean of the Technology and Engineering Division, describes the commitment from faculty simply: “We’re there from day one to the last day.”

A strong culture of collaboration supports that commitment. Several faculty members were once Fullerton students themselves and completed instructional techniques training at the college. Their own mentors demonstrated how people with different perspectives could work together in the interests of students and the profession. Yvonne Salazar-Perez, Level 2 & Teacher Trainee Lead Instructor, recalls a lesson that continues to guide the department: “The focus was the program, the students, the industry, like how are we going to make our students succeed?”

The department is also deeply diverse, reflecting the communities and professional environments students will eventually serve. Fullerton College is a Hispanic-serving institution, and faculty describe a student population representing different backgrounds, ages and life circumstances. Learners can enter the program with very different experiences, from recent high-school graduates to adults returning to education while managing work and family responsibilities. The department’s goal is not to make those differences disappear, but to create an environment where students can grow together and learn from them.

The practical demands of the program are substantial. Day students may spend approximately nine hours on campus, while evening students often arrive after a workday and continue training until around 10:30 p.m. Charlotte Jimmons, Level 1 Lead Instructor, sees the transformation that takes place across those hours. “We really get to see the growth of each individual student and how they started and just the wealth of knowledge, the confidence,” she says.

Support is designed to help students remain in the program when life becomes difficult. Faculty connect learners with counseling, health services, Disability Support Services, tutoring and food assistance. The department has also adjusted its own practices, including splitting laboratory-kit purchases into stages so students do not face the full cost at the beginning. Early lessons can be planned around students waiting for financial aid or a paycheck, while instructors encourage learners to communicate when personal circumstances affect attendance or coursework.

Yvonne captures the department’s approach to those moments: “The key is we tell our students to communicate with us because there could be a solution that we together can find so that you don’t fall behind.” Such flexibility acknowledges an important reality: perseverance is easier when students know they are not expected to navigate every obstacle alone. The education itself is equally grounded in real-world preparation. Fullerton operates a complete student salon where members of the community receive treatments, giving students regular opportunities to work with real clients. Rather than relying primarily on mannequins, students learn to communicate, consult, perform services and respond to the expectations of the public. Yvonne explains the distinction clearly: “Many cosmetology schools, the students will work on mannequins, doll heads, but they won’t have much interaction with the general public.”

Industry exposure continues beyond the salon. Students participate in field trips, conventions, trade shows and professional education from brands such as Redken, while Level 3 students visit the Dermalogica Institute. Faculty members who own businesses bring entrepreneurial experience into the classroom. Community outreach provides another dimension, with students taking part in free haircut programs and beauty-service initiatives. Continuous professional development is important for the faculty as well. Industry practices change, and instructors continue to pursue learning opportunities, including professional-development activities in Chicago and Africa. An advisory board comprising industry professionals, alumni and current students provides another channel for identifying what should change within the program. The department is also exploring advanced courses for licensed professionals, along with future opportunities in barbering and aesthetics.

International collaboration has added another dimension to student learning. Fullerton has worked for two years with Kokusai Beauty College in Japan, including a bridal photo shoot involving the wider division. Faculty hope to build on the relationship through future study-abroad and international collaboration opportunities. Such experiences give students a perspective that reaches beyond the immediate salon environment.

Student achievement is also visible in what happens after training. Some Fullerton graduates return three to five years later to complete the instructional techniques program and eventually become educators. One example is Vivianna Orozco, who was once a cosmetology student at Fullerton and now works with the department as its Dispensary Tech for the Day/Budget. Alumni remain connected in other ways as well. Robert Ray, a former student who has supported the Japan collaboration, has built a career that includes working as a stylist for Lionel Richie. Other graduates contact the college when their salons, trade shows or professional networks need emerging talent. The relationship between the program and its students also reaches graduation itself. Faculty attend commencement ceremonies to celebrate students’ accomplishments, and graduates sometimes return simply to visit their former instructors. These connections reflect how much time students and faculty spend together and how deeply the experience can shape both sides.

Within the classroom, students are also learning that cosmetology is a profession built on relationships and business judgment. Faculty teach the Four Cs—connect, consult, create and complete—giving students a framework for understanding the entire client experience. “In the end, we’re all about sales,” Starkman explains. “You’re selling your craft; you’re selling your skills.”

Fullerton College provides the curriculum, mentors, industry exposure, professional opportunities and support systems. Students bring the determination to make those resources matter. Their willingness to keep showing up through demanding schedules, personal responsibilities and the pressure of mastering a profession is what ultimately turns education into achievement. For the faculty, the purpose of the program can be found in the people walking through its doors—and in seeing those same students leave with the confidence to build something of their own.