Milady Awards Educator of the Year at the
15th Annual CEA Convention

Milady and Cosmetology Educators of America (CEA) have named Marcia Bird, the Nicholas F. Cimaglia Educator of the Year at the 15th Annual CEA Convention in Las Vegas, N.V. Marcia is a cosmetology instructor at the Somerset County Technology Institute in Bridgewater, N.J.

Marcia was acknowledged for her contributions to professional standards of educational excellence, and her involvement with community service. She has been a cosmetology educator for nearly thirty years. She maintains a “firm but fair” relationship with her students and believes in hands-on education. She always makes herself available to her students and keeps an open door policy. Marcia keeps her students current on trends in the industry by taking them on field trips to local salons to encourage, inspire, and motivate them. In her own words, “You must stay involved in the industry, refuel and bring what you’ve learned into the classroom.”

In addition to being stellar in the classroom, Marcia gives back to her community. She helped to organize a Dining for Change Event for the Cut-It-Out Program. The program was organized to bring awareness to the association’s Cut-It-Out program. Salon professionals participating in the program received training on how to recognize warning signs of domestic abuse. Guest speakers from the Somerset County Resource Center for Women and Their Families joined Bird to produce the Dining for Change seminar for 30 salon owners, stylists, and students.

As the recipient of the Nicholas F. Cimaglia Award, Bird received an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas, where she was honored at the annual Cosmetology Educators of America Conference on July 11. In addition, she received a cash prize of $2,500 and gifts from Milady.

Cosmetology Educators of America is the educational committee of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools, providing inspiring education and networking opportunities to enrich and expand the lives of cosmetology educators.

The Educator of the Year Award is given annually to one educator who exhibited the most significant contribution towards upgrading professional standards of educational excellence, particularly within the area of student involvement, during the past year. It is co-sponsored by CEA and Milady.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 N. F. Cimaglia Educator of the Year award. Click here to learn more.

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