Ricky Sprague: Regis’s Unleash The Beauty of Potential Scholarship
Nerek (Ricky) Sprague has been selected as a recipient of the Regis Unleash the Beauty of Potential Scholarship for $5,000! Sprague is a February 2023 graduate of Empire Beauty School Harrisburg.
Jamie Suarez, SVP of Merchandising and Education, Regis Corporation, spotlights Sprague’s journey with us.
We are very excited to announce that Nerek Sprague has been selected to receive Regis’s Unleash the Beauty of Potential scholarship! Nerek’s exemplary scholastic performance is admirable, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors!
For Sprague, their journey has always been centered on their artistic abilities and love of makeup.
I always loved makeup, even as a kid. The only time I had to play with makeup was before my karate class. I would show up with crazy 10-year-old makeup, and blue smokey eyes. I had other things I was interested in and went to Pennsylvania College of Art after high school. I loved it but it went online during the pandemic. It’s not how I work, so I took a gap year to figure out what I wanted to do. It hit me that I always loved makeup and hair, so I should go to beauty school.
Sprague remained productive during their time at Empire Beauty School, working ahead on their coursework and keeping their attendance record.
As soon as I was in the classes, I was doing so well. I was working ahead because I was so excited about what I was learning. Miss Moyer was my presalon educator, she was amazing and supportive. She taught for everyone, at every learning level. Being on the salon floor and taking clients prepares you for actually having a job doing it.
After graduating, Sprague obtained a position at a local hair salon.
I work at Hair Cuttery in High Point Commons, I love it! They visited for our career days and I loved it. I had a phone and practical interview and was hired on the spot. My coworkers are so nice, there are so many clients coming in. I went to school for this craft, now I have a job in this craft that pays well. I love that I get to be creative every day. You make people feel good about themselves and it makes my heart feel so happy.
Sprague loves showcasing their artistic abilities, hoping one day to end up on the big screen.
My long-term goal is to become a special effects makeup artist. It puts together my love of doing art and makeup. My dream is to take my friends to the movie theater and my name is in the credits.
It’s important to surround yourself with those that fuel you and motivate you to reach your fullest potential. Sprague is thankful for their loved ones for their motivation.
My partner and best friends always motivate me. They’re the first I tell when something goes well or goes wrong. They’re encouraging and honest in telling me how to be better. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. Having a supportive group of people who truly care and love you is important. I learned to appreciate the people that push me to be my best. I want to be the best that I can be.
Remember this is a program where attendance matters. Sprague shares their advice to new and current students.
Go every day that you can. There were days that I woke up and thought about not going. I told myself that I had to go. I barely missed a day and I got my hours in, graduating in less than a year. Enjoy your experience, and do what you have to do. It took about a year for me to decide to go to beauty school, and graduate, and now I have a career.
If you’re thinking about it, and it makes you happy, it will be a good thing for you to do.
For more information about Empire Beauty School, or how to enroll, please visit https://bit.ly/LearnMoreAtEmpire