Meet Destiny!

Destiny Baker

ICA: Hello Destiny!
Destiny: Hi.


ICA: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Destiny: I am 19 years old and I'm from Grand Rapids. I live with my Mom and 3 brothers. I'm the oldest, so I help around the house a lot. I went to Godwin High School and graduated in 2014. I enrolled at ICA in October of 2014. I was on the housing waiting list for Western Michigan University to study Criminal Justice, but I didn't want to wait and I didn't want to commute there every day. So, I decided to stay close and go to cosmetology instead.

ICA: Why Cosmetology?

Destiny: I wanted to try something new. It looked easy and fun, so I wanted to give it a try. I though it'd be fun to get my license.

ICA: So, what do you want to do with your license once you get it?

Destiny: I like hair-cutting out of everything from Cosmetology. So, I'd want to have my own salon. Maybe rent out a place and take clients.

ICA: So, why do the Cosmetology program now?

Destiny: I didn't want to be bored. I wanted to do something now. So, I enrolled.

ICA: Do you have a good support system?

Destiny: My boyfriend supports me. He talks to me about it and helps me when he can. He lets me practice braiding on his hair.

ICA: What is your favorite and least favorite part of the Nail Technician program?

Destiny: My favorite part is learning different techniques for cutting hair. My least favorite part is the book work. I don't enjoy it. I find it boring. 

ICA: What is the school/life balance like?

Destiny: I go to school at 8:30am and leave about 4:30pm.  I go home and hang out. I quit my job a few months ago because it was making me tired to do both. I was starting to miss a lot of school. I decided to get rid of the job so I could keep coming to school.

ICA: What is some advice you have for future cosmetology students?

Destiny: Make sure it's something you want to do. If you aren't sure, it won't be fun. It's a lot of work. But, if you like cosmetology, do it. You make friends and get to cut hair. And you get a license out of it.


Feel free to call 616.248.3335 to request Destiny for an appointment! :)

Meet Harley VanDyke!

Harley VanDyke

ICA: Hello Harley!
Harley: Hi!


ICA: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Harley: I am 20 years old and was born in Grand Rapids. When I was about 3 years old, I moved to Ionia. I was home-schooled so I spent a lot of time at my grandmother's place because she helped my Mom with the schooling. When I was 16 years old, I moved back to Grand Rapids. In 2013, I finished school and got a job at ABC Coating. After a few months, I changed jobs and started working at D & W.  I started saving money for the nail technician at this point. In July of just this year, I had the money, so I paid for my program in full and began the nail technician program.

ICA: Why Nail Technician?

Harley: I always loved doing nails. I would practice on family and friends. When I was 16 years old, I got my first acrylic set which got me seriously thinking about nails as a career.


ICA: So, what do you want to do with your license once you get it?

Harley: I would like to work in a nail salon.  Long-term, I would still like to being working in a salon, but you never know. We'll see where it goes.


ICA: So, why do the Nail Technician program now?

Harley:  Well, I needed to save up for the program so it took a little bit of time. But, I also felt ready. Nothing was stopping me from starting now. I still work while going to school, so it works out well.

ICA: Do you have a good support system?

Harley: Yep. My Mom, my grandparents, my sister, and Carol, who is a family friend.

ICA: What is your favorite and least favorite part of the Nail Technician program?

Harley: My favorite part of the program is learning about nails. I like learning new things. I also really enjoy hanging out and talking with all the nice and fun students and staff. My least favorite part of the program is when you run out of things to do, so you need to keep yourself busy, whether you want to do it or not.

ICA: What is the school/life balance like?

Harley: On a typical day, I go to school at 8:30 am and stay until 4:30pm. I head to work around 5:00pm and get out about midnight. I head home and get to bed so I can get up and do it all over again! It is tiring. If I do get home early, I have a little bit of free time to catch up on my television shows.

ICA: What is some advice you have for future nail tech students?

Harley: You have to be determined! Once you get on the salon floor and take real clients, there is a lot more freedom in the program. It is really easy to just not show up. It is important to have self-discipline. If you really want it, it's worth it.


Feel free to call 616.248.3335 to request Harley for an appointment! :)  

Meet Jenia Greer!

Jenia Greer

ICA: Hello Jenia!
Jenia: Hello.


ICA: Tell me a little about yourself.

Jenia: I am 29 years old and was born and raised in Chicago. I had a pretty easy life growing up. I was the oldest of 4 kids. I lived with my Mom and Dad and my siblings. We were a close knit family. My Mom was a cosmetologist and my God-mom always did nails in the basement. So, this is where I was first introduced to nails and the cosmetology world. I'll never forget my first manicure. I was in Kindergarten. I loved getting that manicure, that memory is stuck in my brain forever. When I was a junior in high school I had my first son. I stayed in school and graduated top of the class. When I was 21 years old, my second son was born. I was done with high school and working in childcare. Around 2006, My mom and dad had divorced, so my Mom moved to Grand Rapids. In September 2014, I moved my boys and I to Grand Rapids. Just this past summer, I enrolled at ICA's Nail Technician program.
 
ICA: Why Nail Technician?

Jenia: I wanted a new trade. I was doing childcare, but not growing in the field. I knew nails was fun, easy, profitable, and popular. I knew I had to find something that would take care of myself as well as my 2 boys.

ICA: So, what do you want to do with your license once you get it?


Jenia: I plan on marketing myself to shops. I plan on getting an acrylic system that is odorless, which will allow me to work anywhere. I will be more competitive and hopefully have more options of places to work.

ICA: So, why do the Nail Technician program now?

Jenia: I wanted something different. I wasn't moving forward working in childcare, so it was a good time to try something different.

ICA: Do you have a good support system?

Jenia: Yeah, my 2 brothers, my sister, and my boys are all really supportive. My boys are always asking me what I did at school.

ICA: What is your favorite and least favorite part of the Nail Technician program?

Jenia: My favorite part is creating nail art. I like coming up with different ideas for nails. My least favorite part is the reading and textbook work.  I just find it time consuming and time goes a lot slower. When I am working with my hands doing nails, the time just flies.

ICA: What is the school/life balance like?

Jenia: I go to school in the morning and then some days, I head to work afterwards. My kids take the bus home so I meet them there. I give them dinner, help them with homework, and spend time with them before bed. Then, I get up and do it all over again.

ICA: What is some advice you have for future nail tech students?

Jenia: You should have a passion for nails. If you follow this for money, it probably won't work. It's time consuming and you have to be dedicated to it. It's a long learning process, but it's worth it.



Feel free to call 616.248.3335 to request Jenia for an appointment! :)  

Meet Dahja!

Dahja Nevills

ICA: Hello Dahja!
Dahja: Hello.


ICA: Tell me a little about yourself.

Dahja: I am 18 years old and will be 19 years old next month. I was born and raised in Grand Rapids with my Mom and 4 sisters. In 2014, I graduated from high school. I wanted to go to cosmetology school but my Mom told me to attend college instead. So, I enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College and pursued Dental Hygiene. Shortly after I started, my Mom moved to Tennessee. Her moving away really affected me. I started to lose focus and motivation. I stopped going to school for awhile.  I eventually went back to try it again,but I just wasn't ready.  I enjoyed it but had no real desire to be there. In April 2015, I enrolled in the cosmetology program at ICA. I have been here ever since and I really like it.

ICA: Why Cosmetology?

Dahja: When I was 14 years old, I started braiding. I would practice braiding all the time; on friends and family. I started to get really good at it. Then, I started to learn how to do sew-ins. Cosmetology was something I wanted to go into. My Mom preferred me to go college, but I eventually made the decision to go to cosmetology school anyway.


ICA: So, what do you want to do with your license once you get it?

Dahja: I want to get my license right away and then work at a salon. I love doing haircuts. I love working with scissors. I am a little scissor happy!  I want to eventually own my own business. I have other family members who also do hair, but they aren't licensed yet. But, I always thought it would be a great idea to all go into business together some day.

ICA: So, why do Cosmetology school now?

Dahja: With my Mom leaving last year, I lost a lot of focus and motivation, so it took me a little bit of time to get back on my feet and feel motivated again to learn. But, I am here now, and happy I did it.

ICA: You have a good support system?

Dahja: Yup, my Mom is supportive. I talk to her on the phone all the time. My sisters are also very supportive of me.

ICA: What is your favorite and least favorite part of Cosmetology school?

Dahja: My favorite part of school is working with clients. I enjoy communicating with them and giving them the haircut they want. I like to see them happy. My least favorite part is that not everyone follows directions which can cause unnecessary problems. We all need to follow directions and not get upset when a teacher tells us to do something. The whole point is to come to school and learn.  There is no reason not to listen. We are here for an education.

ICA: What is the school/life balance like?

Dahja:I go to school part time and I work part time. It gets to be a little overwhelming sometimes, especially because I help out at home and help take care of my niece and nephew. I get tired a lot and sometimes I slack at school.  But, I keep at it.

ICA: What is some advice you have for future cosmetology students?

Dahja: If you want to come to cosmetology school, make sure it's your passion.  If it isn't your passion, you're going to have a hard time finishing. You're also here to learn. So, listen to the advice and directions from all the teachers. Not everyone is perfect, it's okay to mess up. You'll learn, you'll get there. Don't ever give up.




Feel free to call 616.248.3335 to request Dahja for an appointment! :)  

Meet Rochelle!

Rochelle Washington

ICA: Hello Rochelle!
Rochelle: Hello.


ICA: Tell me a little about yourself.

Rochelle: I am 29 years old and was born in St. Joseph , Michigan. After I graduated from high school, I moved by myself down to Fort Worth, Texas. I had planned on starting Cosmetology school, but I ended up finding work as a dance choreographer for a drill team. I was a dancer in high school so it was something I wanted to do. Plus, at the time, I just didn't feel very motivated to go back to school.  I really enjoyed being on my own and living in Texas. In 2013, I moved to Grand Rapids to help my Mom with Grandma. I wasn't working so I decided it was the perfect time to start cosmetology school. Last summer in 2014, I began cosmetology school at ICA.

ICA: Why Cosmetology?

Rochelle: I have been doing hair since I was a little girl. My mom did hair, so my sister and I would watch my Mom work on other people.  I became really comfortable with hair so I started working on real people's hair doing braids or giving haircuts for kids returning back to school. I felt like I was good at it. Honestly, I wanted to be a dancer as my career. I took hip hop and belly dancing classes in high school and liked it a lot. But, I had a lot more experience with hair and knew Cosmetology would be a good career route. 


ICA: So, what do you want to do with your license once you get it?

Rochelle: I am going to get my license right away, most definitely. Then, I would like to move back down to Texas and work in someone's shop for 3-4 years to gain experience. At the same time, I would like to get my associates degree in Business. Eventually,  I would like to own my own shop. I am expected to graduate in 2016. I am definitely looking forward to it.

ICA: So, why do Cosmetology school now?

Rochelle: It was the perfect opportunity. I moved back to Michigan to help my Mom out, I wasn't working, so it was a great time to get my license in Cosmetology.

ICA: You have a good support system?

Rochelle: Yes, I do. My mom is my biggest supporter.

ICA: What is your favorite and least favorite part of Cosmetology school?

Rochelle: My favorite part is that it's hands-on. My least favorite part of it is the book-work! I will do it if I need to, but I always prefer to do hands-on over textbooks. I learn better that way.

ICA: What is the school/life balance like?

Rochelle: I have 3 girls, ages 8,9, & 10. I live on my own with my daughters. During the summer, my Mother watches them while I am at school. Now that it's fall, they go to school during the day and I am home before they get home. It works out well. Balance is definitely key.

ICA: What is some advice you have for future cosmetology students?

Rochelle: Stay in school. Graduate. Don't take time off afterwards.  You start to slack off if you wait. Get a job. Get more education. Don't wait to get your license. Get it overwith. Cosmetology school is worth it. I would definitely recommend it to other people. I am doing this for not only myself. I am doing it for my daughters.




Feel free to call 616.248.3335 to request Rochelle for an appointment! :)