Construction in the cosmetology department began in late summer. The renovations include new classrooms and a facelift for the entire space.
Staff Photo | Elisabeth Lively
By Emma Yeager
Feature Editor
For cosmetology students at Northeast Texas Community College, the semester started with the hammering of nails and the knocking down of walls. While the construction has been underway in other parts of the BT building since the end of summer, the cosmetology revamp has been the buzz of the building.
Along with the renovations and facelift the cosmetology program also welcomed an additional full time instructor, Necah Posey, allowing the program to double its enrollment from 25 to 50 students.
Debbie Lovelady, cosmetology department instructor, said the remodeling is still underway and may be finished by the end of December.
¡°To see a wall come down, and to see new paint, and to see the floor come up and see the expansion, is just amazing,¡± Lovelady said.
The newly revamped area will include a wider floor space to allow for more salon stations. Each student will have their own brand new styling station that will give the instructors better access to help the students.
The remodeling plans also include additional classrooms. The area will also feature shampoo bowls and practice mannequins while the existing shampoo bowls will remain in use for clients. An industrial sink will also be added for students to wash their tools.
The cosmetology department instructors said they are excited for the expansion, starting the semester with close to 50 students while undergoing extreme construction has proved to be a challenge. While their equipment and supplies are scattered around the room, that only adds to the commotion and the anticipation.
Though the semester began somewhat chaotic, the two instructors said they intend to make the best of it and be as resourceful as they can. One creative way they are doing work is the use of tripods to prop up their mannequins for hairstyling as they await setting up their styling stations.
¡°This is a big deal for us,¡± Posey said. ¡°We feel like we¡¯re at the top of our game now.¡±
Lovelady said they have been waiting a long time for this type of renovation.
Even though it is looking like it won¡¯t be completed until the end of the semester, the students and instructors are excited for the department¡¯s makeover, nonetheless.
¡°I actually have a drawing that Necah found from years ago where I had diagramed out what I would like to see happen in this program, so for these amount of years to go by and then finally have it actually happen this year, I am super excited,¡± Lovelady said.
Posey said the cosmetology department likes to say they take up a good bit of the real estate in the BT building.
¡°We¡¯re so ready for it to be done because it¡¯ll be worth it,¡± Posey said. ¡°We can compete if we want to compete with any school anywhere. The department will be beautiful, and it¡¯ll have all of the equipment it needs and it¡¯ll be new equipment. To say the least, it¡¯ll be getting a large facelift.¡±