Read about Jeffery Wilson’s connection with the cosmetology industry and his pursuit of a Cosmetology Diploma at College of The Albemarle (COA).
Jeffrey Wilson remembers going to his mother’s hair salon every day after school, where he watched her transform the women who came in for their weekly and monthly appointments.
“My mom owned a beauty shop growing up called Sugar’s Hair Care,” said Wilson, referring to the shop named after his mom. “I would just sit and watch her in awe.”
He practically grew up in the salon, studying his mom as she set about cutting hair, doing roller sets or coloring her clients’ hair. He remembers seeing women who would later walk out the door looking completely different, with a new haircut or highlights.
“Growing up, I’d sit and watch my mom do all her appointments,” Wilson said. “And they all looked like brand new people. That always impressed me.”
It’s a pleasant memory for Wilson, so it’s no wonder he always felt drawn to the vocation. After graduating from high school, he went to barber college in 1990, but never pursued his barber’s license. Instead, over the past three decades, he busied himself working a string of full-time jobs — as bartender, waiter, gas station employee and forklift operator. He always intended to go back to school and earn his cosmetology license so he could cut hair professionally, but didn’t have the money for classes.
His luck changed in December 2012 when he received a Pell Grant paying for all his cosmetology classes at COA. Two years later, Wilson earned his Cosmetology Diploma from COA and is now styling hair at Great Clips in Elizabeth City where he is assistant manager.
In addition to working as a hair stylist, Wilson has also served as a substitute cosmetology instructor at COA over the past year. About five times a month, Wilson looks forward to working with the school’s new cosmetology students as he teaches them the basics of haircutting and checks behind the students’ work on the floor as they cut clients’ hair. He has enjoyed his time with these fledgling stylists so much he would like to teach cosmetology full time.
“I feel like this is what I was meant to do,” Wilson said. “I always knew I was going to go back to school and get my license because this is what I love. And COA helped me to do that.”