Recipients

  Celebrating Two Decades of Giving the Annual Joe Francis Haircare Scholarships Awards are Announced

Minneapolis, MN – October 31, 2017 – 26 students across the United States each received a $1,200 Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship toward tuition costs for cosmetology education. With over decades of giving, the Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship Foundation has awarded nearly half million dollars in scholarships. The 2017 recipients and their schools of choice are:   

	Amy Adams Montana Academy of Salons, Great Falls, MT
	Hannah Arel Aveda Institute, Augusta,ME
	Avery Brun College of Hair Design, Lincoln, NE
No Photo Available	Lauren Bryner Johnny Matthew's School, Salem, OR
	Mariah Carpenter Rudy & Kelly's Academy, Virginia Beach, VA
	Kirstin Chamblee Empire Beauty School, Lousiville, KY
No Photo Available	Megan Clarke Cosmetology Careers Unlimited, Duluth, MN
	Hope Cornstubble Salon Professional Academy, Battle Creek, MI
	Carlie Daniels Del Mar VA Beauty Academy, Salisbury, MD
	Dejuana Donaldson Hair Design Institute, Apopka, FL
	Leah Eberle Robert Paul Academy, Timonium, MD
	Mireya Escalante Medoza Tucson College of Beauty, Tucson, AZ
	Mary Garcia OG's School of Hair Design, Killeen, TX
	Zachary Harvey Aveda Institute, Dallas TX
	Kari Beth Haugh Minnesota School of Barbering, Minneapolis, MN
	Katherine Hilger Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS
	Michael Iverson Montana Academy of Salons, Great Falls, MT
	Sheridan Juarez LaJames International College, Fort Dodge, IA
	Amber Kosmos Sherman Kendall Academy, Salt Lake City, UT
	Phil Lerdal Paul Mitchell School, Spokane Valley, WA
	Landra Marjama Bold Beauty Academy, Billings, MT
No Photo Available	Cassie McFarren Impact Beauty School, Fort Wayne, IN
No Photo Available	Riena Moreno IBMC College, Greeley, CO
	Jasmine Royal Kenneth Schuller, North Augusta, SC
	Kathryn Warrington Paul Mitchell School, Cranston, RI
	Sarah Zahradka Hays Academy, Hays, KS

Each scholarship recipient demonstrated a strong commitment to complete his or her barber/cosmetology education as well as financial need.

The Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship Foundation memorializes the life and achievements of Joe Francis, founder of The Barbers Corporation and the franchise systems: Cost Cutters, City Looks Salons, and We Care Hair, now Regis Corporation subsidiaries. 

Joe Francis’ story is literally one of rags to riches, beginning his first job as a shoeshine boy for a local barber school.  His labors eventually led him to enroll as a barber student where his entrepreneurial spirit flourished and his lifelong career in the industry took off. He built state of the art hair salons and began franchising first as The Barbers Hairstyling for Men and Women, Inc. 

He took his company public and established The Barbers Corporation. The Barbers grew to 1,200 franchise hair salons in the United States and Europe. Joe began with a one-chair barbershop, a self-made man who never forgot his early struggles and continuously looked for ways to help others find opportunities in the hair industry. Joe Francis was inducted posthumously into the National Barbers Hall of Fame.

            “The Scholarship Foundation was Joe’s dream. We have awarded 350 talented hairstylists and barbers with scholarships and we look forward to continuing our support of careers in the industry,” explained Florence Francis, widow of Joe Francis, Chairwoman, and Co-Founder of the Foundation.

            Joe’s daughter, and President of the Foundation, Barbara Francis, announced, “My Father worked tirelessly to strengthen the industry and elevate the hairstyling profession.  He believed it offered a path to self-fulfillment and reward.  He was determined to help deserving individuals launch their career. He wanted to give back to an industry that gave him so much.”

           Applications for future scholarships are accepted from January through June 1^st of each year, with award notifications made each September.  For more information, visit the Foundation’s web site:  www.joefrancis.com or email: contact@joefrancis.com