Graduate Profiles

Ali Foster

Anastasia Andonopoulos

Kelly Mathys

Schreen Ogden

This Regency grad has goals of salon ownership and sharing her passion for the industry with future students.

Regency: Tell us about your career path since you graduated, and what your goals are for the future.
Schreen: The more I learn the more I want to know! The longer I work behind the chair, the more I realize that there is so much more I can do in this industry! My ultimate goal is to buy a salon, learn everything I possibly can about the industry and salon ownership, and then go back to Regency as an educator so I can teach the students there to be successful!

Regency: Is there a particular service you like doing more than others?
Schreen: I’m absolutely crazy about color! I love experimenting with highlights, low-lights, or under-color to jazz things up a bit. I love cutting hair too. I always look at people and visualize what type of style I could create for them.

Regency: What is your favorite part of your job?
Schreen: There are so many things I love about what I do! One thing I’ve learned about this industry is that you learn something new every single day. The woman I work for has been in the business for 26 years and I love to pick her brain and learn from her. I also love meeting new people, and I love that I have the freedom to make my own schedule.

Regency: How did your education prepare you for your career?
Schreen: The educators at the Peoria campus were always reminding us to practice, practice, practice! They made sure that we understood what we were being taught. I felt so comfortable asking questions anytime. I loved the opportunities we had to hear guest speakers, see demonstrations and meet salon owners. If we wanted extra help with something or needed more hands-on or demonstrations, all we had to do was ask and they went out of their way to provide that for us.

Regency: Do you have any advice for current or future cosmetology students?
Schreen: My advice for people who are thinking about going to cosmetology school is “Just do it!” I literally woke up one day and decided that I was going to go to cosmetology school. That day I drove to Regency, took a tour, and fell in love! I started a month later. I always wanted to be a cosmetologist. Now that I am, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

For current students, I’d say a few things:

• Do not expect to walk out of school and know how to do everything. I thought that the day I graduated I would just be an expert! It’s okay to ask other stylists for their opinions or help.
• ALWAYS ask your educators “Why?” Pick their brains! No question is stupid.
• There is money to be made in this industry – but it takes time. Are you going to make $50,000 your first year out of school? Probably not. You have to prove yourself to your clientele. But once you get it, you’ve got it!

Regency: Do you have any final thoughts?
Schreen: I just want to say that I absolutely love what I do! I always loved doing hair and makeup. I was the friend that did everyone’s hair before a dance or a girls’ night out, but I never actually thought that I would be doing this for a living!


Updated: December 21, 2009