Southeast College’s Mentors ‘n’ Manicures initiative turns beauty treatments into learning opportunities.

Three times throughout the school year, students in the Hairstylist Program are matched with female community business leaders for manicures and conversation at the Teach ‘n’ Trim salon.

“It was women in the community who were invited into the salon in the evening,” explained student Stacy Pederson. “We would spend our time being matched up with different entrepreneurs every time, so that you got a variation of conversation going on.”

Launched in 2017, the program helps students develop leadership potential and build specific skill sets necessary to thrive as future community business leaders.

“Discussing what the workforce was like now with women, what we need to look for, what were some helpful hints,” Pederson said, describing the student-mentor conversations. “Discussing what our future goals were, discussing also what they had gone through with their employment.”