INA, Ill. (March 4, 2017) - From retired Illinois State Police officers to incoming freshman, the programs at Rend Lake College’s Studio RLC offer something for everyone by coupling in-demand, practical training with a unique teaching method focused on individual learning.
With degrees in Cosmetology and Barbering and certificates in Cosmetology, Esthetics, Nail Tech, Cosmetology Teacher, Barbering and Barber Teacher, there are a number of different options and different time commitments for anyone looking for a course of study or new career path.
The school and program themselves have seen a number of changes over the years. Originally a Paul Mitchell Franchise school, Rend Lake College took over sole ownership of the facility in 2009 after the franchise dissolved.
“In our barber program, we have one current student who is a retired state police officer. He has his master’s degree in law. We have another gentleman who was a coal miner. This is what he wanted to do. Then, we have some who are 18 and just out of high school. We have a great group here,†said Cosmetology Associate Professor Daphne Mitchell.
Mitchell, a Benton native, originally wanted to be a legal secretary, but outside the classroom she dabbled with hair as a hobby. At her mother’s suggestion, she changed plans and went to cosmetology school after high school.
“That was the direction I ended up going, and here I am almost 30 years later still involved in the industry,†she said with a chuckle. “I spent 17 years behind the chair before I took a tour of this school when it was a partner school. That prompted me to get my instructor license. I’ve been an instructor for 12 years this June. I enjoy teaching a lot.â€
After serving some time as an instructor, Mitchell served as director for the cosmetology program for 10 years. Now, she’s back to teaching full-time and enjoying her day-to-day interactions with students.
“We are with these students 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for five days a week. It’s impossible to not become like a family. We really want to have that relationship with them and have fun. Every morning we have a meeting with the instructors before we go meet with all the students, and every morning we celebrate yesterday’s victories and our goals for today. Then, we do a quick energizer. We just want to do something fun to get everyone in the mood to be excited about being here today,†Mitchell said.
In the programs, students progress through learning the theory of what they are doing. All the teaching is taught non-traditionally in proven methods.
That day, the barber class had an hour theory on straight-razor shaving. Following that, the students proceed to the lab and practice the techniques they just learned on training dummies in hands-on exercises. In a last step of their training, students must clinic on the particular service before they are then allowed to actually perform the service in the studio on a client.
The studio, located next to the teaching facility, is fully staffed with students who have proven their mastery of the various techniques taught at the MarketPlace campus. Mitchell said that the studio offers a great real-world outlet for students to gain valuable experience and has many loyal customers.
Not to mention, it’s a great time to enter the field.
New developments in the field of cosmetology franchises have opened a new door for prospective students to find employment without taking the initial risk of trying to establish their own business. Retail stores like Walmart and JC Penny and dedicated franchises like Smart Styles, Great Clips and Sports Clips can offer trained professional hourly wages and retirement plans.
Mitchell also sees major growth in the barber field.
“Not too long ago, barbers were a dying breed. On top of that, the closest school was in the O’Fallon area. That school closed a few years ago. I saw a great opportunity for us to really serve a need. Small-town barbers do a lot more than just cut hair. There’s a community component to it. It is part of the fabric of what makes places special,†Mitchell expressed.
That community approach is also at the forefront of the Studio’s teaching philosophy.
“One of the great things here is that we have the freedom to teach techniques a few different ways until we find something that sticks with that particular student. We had a barber student that was just not getting a particular haircut. He just kept trying and trying to do it by the book. So, I showed him my technique to do that specific cut, and it just clicked with him. It’s stuff like that that makes all this so rewarding to me. We have to approach these students as individuals,†she expressed.
To that end, students who come into one of the Studio RLC programs are given a Multiple Intelligences Assessment, a low-stress questionnaire designed to show instructors the best way to reach specific students by showing the ways learning can be targeted to meet specific needs.
Studio RLC’s location also affords it some very specific benefits as well. In addition to residing in a place that naturally generates foot traffic for the studio portion of the facility, being the satellite campus in the most populous city in the Rend Lake district also allows the facility to highlight the college on a very prominent stage.
It also happens to be a location that faculty are very proud of and willing to show off. Mitchell said that anyone is welcome to tour the school or even observe a classroom session if they make an appointment in advance.
Studio RLC will hold an open house on April 4 for anyone interested from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Staff will be available to give tours of the teaching area and the studio. Potential students can even do early registration with proof of high school education or G.E.D.
For those interested in the studio’s services, the full-service facility is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walk-ins are welcome.
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