A Minute With SpaBeautySchools

Whether you’ve decided on, or are still contemplating, a spa or beauty school it’s important to start searching for financial aid early and often. Though it may not always be necessary, spa beauty scholarships can make the difference between a quick and easy education, and struggling to make tuition payments. In order to help you out, we’ve collected info on three upcoming spa beauty scholarships…

The Name: The International Spa (ISPA) Foundation’s Mary Tabacchi Scholarship
The Game: Part- and full-time undergraduate students who have an interest in spa management, and who plan on enrolling in a two- or four-year spa-related degree program, may apply. Scholarship application essentials include: your college transcript, recommendations, and an essay outlining your skills, credentials, and goals.
The Date: March 1, 2008
The Prize: A $2,500 scholarship, plus airfare, hotel, and registration fees for attending either the ISPA Asia-Pacific Conference or ISPA Conference & Expo.

The Name: Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship
The Game: Available only to cosmetology students who can demonstrate either an enrollment with, or acceptance by, a cosmetology school by August of this year. Applicants are judged by their skill, commitment to cosmetology, and financial need.
The Date: June 1, 2008
The Prize: A $1,000 scholarship.

The Name: The Massage Therapy Foundation’s Student Case Report Contest
The Game: Open to currently enrolled massage therapy students, this contest asks each applicant to conduct a case study into the benefits of massage therapy on a new patient. Students then submit a 2,000 - 3,000 word document that outlines the pertinent aspect of their study.
The Date: March 1, 2008
The Prize: Prizes range from $1,500 to $2,500 and may include being published on the Massage Therapy Foundation’s Web site or the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. Depending on whether a student wins the “Gold” or “Bronze Award” additional awards may follow.

-Genevieve Blaber

Special occasions like Valentine’s Day do a great job of drawing attention to all the great services that spa professionals have to offer. That is if you’re lucky enough to have your significant other treat you to a spa day!

But beyond Cupid’s holiday, the job prospects for those in the spa industry are good year round and for years to come. Skin care specialists, for instance, constitute one of the fastest growing occupations, with employment expected to increase 34 percent between 2006 and 2016, compared to the average growth of 10 percent for all occupations, according to the latest projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You read right–spa professionals are in demand!

Not only that, spa professionals get to have fun. Where else can you flex your creative muscles in a calm, nurturing atmosphere? And on holidays like Valentine’s Day, spas get to pull out all the stops and celebrate with gusto. Check out these creative, specialty packages that pay homage to the holiday of love:

Yummy retreat >> Spa professionals give couples a chance to get away for the weekend and get treated to a facial or massage for two. One spa even provides an in-home, four-course meal prepared by a gourmet chef, complete with candles, wine, and rose petals. Sign me up!

Chocolate dream >> Calling all chocoholics–as a spa professional, you can help clients experience the ultimate indulgence at the spa this V-Day. In a unique twist on a standard spa service, some spas offer chocolate body wraps, chocolate scrubs, chocolate and cherry facials, and chocolate and cherry pedicures. Call it “fantasy spa.”

Couples classes >> When you work at the spa, you can help your love last past the holiday with insight gleaned from romance classes in the spa community. Enhance your relationship and take steps toward total mind-body balance by exploring the real magic of love.

Solo suggestion >> V-Day isn’t just for couples, and spa professionals know it. For gals with hearts that need mending, one spa is offering a weekend getaway, including a chocolate martini and strawberries, bath salts and lavender candles, and women’s magazines. What better place to heal your heart than at the spa?

The spa is a great place to visit on holidays and every day, but it can be an even better place to work and live. Where else can you experience all that chocolate without the calories?!

-Robyn Tellefsen