[SPOKANE, Wash.] Five years ago, Spokane Community College’s cosmetology program was ready for modernization and a new direction. Now, co-department chairs Deanna Pixley and Paula Anselmo have elevated the concept into a thorough boutique experience for their students through the Inspiration Salon.
The salon went from operating out of an industrial classroom situation to having full-scale salon services with cutting edge industry technology.
To get there, Pixley and Anselmo agreed that the change wasn’t in the foundation of the program but in the mindset.
“We started saying yes,” Pixley and Anselmo said. “We recognized that we need to be raising the bar, not so much on the education, that was already good... we’ve been really focused on trying to bring in artists, events, and industry leaders all the time for our students to help keep them and ourselves motivated.”
This attitude has since led the program to see tremendous levels of growth in enrollment, and course offerings.
Their program mission of “Delivering quality education, leading students and becoming the best versions of themselves” has allowed the dynamic duo to be relentless in pushing the program toward excellence.
Since the two have taken over the program as co-department chairs, they've added three starts a year between multiple programs, reintroduced the manicurist certificate program in 2023, and established a master esthetics program beginning this fall.
“We saw a need for some more hands-on training, not just theory training,” Anselmo said. “We have the best program in Spokane because we have the latest technologies.”
As part of the master esthetics program, students take an extra 450 hours to learn how to microneedle, lymphatic drainage techniques, or laser treatments. They’ll soon add microneedling to their bag of tricks.
The heart of the program curriculum is more than just technical aspects of hair, makeup and aesthetics.
The faculty have diligently integrated leadership and service into their curriculum building process so that students can develop as whole people, not just as career seekers.
“It’s really good for our students to give back to the community and this is how we create leadership.”
Pixley and Anselmo have brought students to volunteer at four Homeless Connect events where Inspiration Salon has administered nearly 1,000 haircuts, required the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People as reading material, and bring in leadership experts as guest speakers.
Even with a new area and upgraded facilities, the program is quickly outgrowing their classroom space due to higher enrollment numbers and more course offerings.
Cosmetology faculty regularly take training themselves in new industry technologies and techniques so their students can be competitive in their careers.
SCC cosmetology students walk away with their degrees, the capabilities to do more than other graduating equivalents from other schools, and the leadership skills to own their career path in the service industry.
“The world is different now,” Pixley said. “Our department has changed because the world and our student body are changing.”