Lucille Mack – From Empire Graduate to Empire Educator

For Lucille Mack, there was no other choice but Empire Beauty School.

“A lot of my friends were already in the industry and this was the place to be. They all had great experiences here, and so I knew from the beginning this was where I needed to be.”

And when she came in for a tour, her friends advice didn’t disappoint.

“When I toured the school the students were so happy and comfortable. They were learning and enjoying themselves and it was a great feeling.”

Lucy knew that Empire Beauty School in Brooklyn is where she would receive the training she needed to begin her dream career. What she didn’t realize, was that her dream career was within Empire walls the whole time.

“I always kept in touch with the educators here so they always kept me in the know of jobs that were available.”

Immediately after graduation, Lucy started working for cosmetic companies like Benefits, Bobbi Brown and MAC.

“I was working per diem for those companies while also doing platform work for salons and product companies.”

She didn’t realize it at the time, but she was already on the path she wanted to pursue.

“I was so grateful for the educators here and what they had given me, I found myself educating people when I got out of school. So it seemed so natural to go in to education.”

She came back to Empire Beauty School in Brooklyn and enrolled in the educator program. When there was an opening for a full-time educator, she immediately applied for it.

“Empire to me is family, it’s home. I navigated my way back here for a reason. I learn everyday. Even now.”

Lucy still works in a local salon, something she is committed to doing, not only for her, but for her students.

“I do stay current on the latest trends and we incorporate that into the classroom.”
And in an industry that changes with the seasons, Lucy says there is one constant.

“We always get great feedback from the salons in the area. We have a great outreach that reaches outside of Brooklyn to Manhattan and Jersey. They are always calling looking for talented future professionals.”

And for this Empire graduate and educator, it’s a source of pride.

“For salons to see great professionalism in our students, they see that they are trained well. They trust our graduates to be what they are looking for in their next employee.”