By Kasey Ricketts, communications assistant, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Campbellsville University has added her fifth certificate program to her academic offerings with the School of Barbering. With this addition comes the celebration of a new building with a ribbon cutting ceremony Sept. 21.
The School of Barbering began its first classes Sept. 25 with classes Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. There are currently two students enrolled and 12 applicants with over 20 inquiries.
The location of the new building is 2020 Old Hodgenville Road, Campbellsville, Ky., 42718.
The new program takes 10-11 months to complete, and, afterward, the students will receive a certificate to become a licensed barber.
“We have had around 14,000 students graduate through our certificate programs here at CU, and we are excited to have a chance to bring in more students who can add to this number — all while staying in lock step with the Work Ready Program,” Dr. G. Ted Taylor, vice president for university outreach, said.
Kentucky’s Work Ready Program encourages counties to take a credible inventory of the current and future workforce, identify the gaps and carry out strategies to achieve a more knowledgeable, trained workforce.
“I am excited to see us expand our ‘work ready’ offering through our Virginia Ponser Flanagan Technology Training Center,” Dr. Michael V. Carter, the university’s president, said. “We are now offering a wider array of certificates so individuals can be equipped to enter the workforce in specific areas.”
Dr. Donna Hedgepath, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said, “Before now, anyone in or around Taylor County who was interested in pursuing barbering would have to move or drive very far to become a licensed barber. Now we are able to provide that need right here at Campbellsville University.”
The School of Barbering expects to be open to the public by mid-October and will offer haircuts, edge ups, beard and mustache designs and more.
“Barbering will allow us to expand in the health and beauty area of study,” Carter said. “We will emphasize our Christian values and teach strong business principles. We hope to see it grow and succeed and open a second school in Somerset in the near future.”
A Barbership Quartet from Taylor County High School, led by alumnus Jericho McCoy, performed at the celebration. Other members are Lauren Phillips, Dallen Rodenberg and Jackson Martin.
For more information about the School of Barbering, visit https://www.campbellsville.edu/barbering/ or contact Amanda Roop at (270) 789-5036 or ajroop@campbellsville.edu.
Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 5,000 students offering over 80 programs of study including 19 master’s degrees, six postgraduate areas and seven pre-professional programs. The university has off-campus centers in Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset and Hodgenville with instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro, and Summersville and a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.
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