We believe that Broken Arrow Beauty College and Cosmetology Education Center (former second campus location within the BABC family) have some of the best students and alumni. We want to bring back an alumni who has been very successful in her cosmetology endeavors. Chelsea Pagan is a great inspiration to our current students!

About Chelsea

Chelsea is 27 years old. She has a husband and an 8-year-old son. She graduated from CEC (former second campus location within the BABC family) in 2015. Now, Chelsea works at an edgy, cool salon named iidentity. She hasn’t always worked there, though! Chelsea, like other graduates, had to find a salon she could call home.

Chelsea shared with us that she started at another salon after graduation, but “Your first salon isn’t usually your last. I wanted to feel more at home than I did at the first place I worked.” she said. Chelsea offered some advice that helped her get to iidentity, “When you look for a salon, look for a place that has a stylist that you can have as a mentor. I had amazing educators at CEC, but the real world is different. I wanted to find someone that could help me in a professional setting. I would give this advice to any new grad: find a mentor and salon that makes you feel comfortable!”

We asked Chelsea what her favorite part of cosmetology is: “Well, I went to esthetics school a while ago, but I found myself straying away from my program to go talk to the cosmo girls. That’s what drew me to it! After I learned this skill, I found that my favorite thing about it is the strangers. Everyone and everything is always different. I believe that in my past life, I was a counselor. I feel privileged to be in an industry that is trusting and open.”

The CEC Experience

“When my son started school full-time, I told myself, ‘This is your time!’”.

Chelsea’s drive and determination to create her own future is exactly what we look for in students. She told us about her time with us and how much she appreciated it. She said, “I know my life wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t go to CEC. The people and the environment are so different. They made everything worth it. You can tell that it’s family owned. You are a part of this family forever. I highly recommend CEC.”

Alumni who are passionate about their education and their careers are the perfect people for students to admire and strive to be like. We want potential students to view Chelsea as a mentor, too.

“I know a lot of people are deterred from school because of their schedules. I never had that problem at CEC. It was the perfect place for me. I got to go to family Christmas parties, and my son never had to walk to or home from school. I had the time to make him a priority.”

The Salon Life

“You know, the interview process at iidentity was great. I answered a lot of personality questions. I didn’t even have to do a resume. They wanted to see my creative side. I find that with a lot of salons. If you don’t have a personality, then you can’t bring clients in!”

Chelsea gave this advice to recent grads who are looking to work in a salon: “In school, work on your personality. It’s easy to find yourself at CEC because they support that. Just work it! When you are looking for a salon, be yourself and look for a mentor and place that accepts you. You know where I went when I didn’t like my first salon? I went back to CEC, and they helped to the best of their abilities to help me get a new job. They knew my personality and they knew there was a place for me.”

“This is so worth it. I have learning disabilities, and in high school, it was so hard. When you’re learning cosmetology at CEC, you are learning skills you will use. This is info you want to know, not info you’re forced to know. If you’re passionate about the industry, JUST DO IT!”

Thanks, Chelsea for taking the time to talk to us! If you’re interested in becoming a CEC or Broken Arrow student, check out our basic cosmetology program, and contact us. We hope that Chelsea has inspired you to reach for the stars!