Recipients

$45,000 in Scholarships Awarded to Cosmetology Students Nationwide!

Minneapolis, MN – October 29, 2021: Fifteen deserving students from across the United States each received $3,000 scholarships from the Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship Foundation, celebrating the greatest gifting year for the Foundation.

Over the past 24 years the Foundation has awarded just shy of 450 scholarships for over a half million dollars in awards given to students enrolled in cosmetology and barber programs. The scholarships are awarded directly toward tuition costs for cosmetology and barber education. Congratulations to our 2021 recipients and their schools! This year’s scholarship recipients are:

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 450 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.”