Community Impact Award

The Salon Professional Academy

At The Salon Professional Academy (TSPA) in Evansville, IN, service is a year-round commitment that has defined the Academy for more than 17 years. By combining professional training with community service, TSPA ensures students gain valuable real-world experience while contributing to causes that strengthen their community.

Each year, TSPA students and educators provide hundreds of free services at community events. At Homeless Connect, for example, they offer haircuts, manicures, waxing, and makeup applications, delivering more than 800 services annually to individuals experiencing homelessness. At back-to-school drives and the Isaiah Project, students provide haircuts, face painting, and hair tinsel for foster children and families preparing for a new school year. These events give participants renewed confidence and provide students with meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities.

TSPA’s partnerships extend into health and wellness initiatives. Students support Wellness Substance Abuse Counseling programs, raise funds for the Southwest Mental Health Center, and donate to organizations like Cancer Pathways. They also volunteer to serve patients and caregivers living with multiple sclerosis, providing comfort and care during community outreach events.

Food and supply drives are another long-standing tradition. For 17 years, TSPA has collected non-perishable items to benefit local food banks, offering service discounts for guests who contribute and encouraging staff and students to participate. In addition, the Academy has organized hygiene supply drives for the homeless community and contributed more than 400 items directly to the Isaiah Project to support foster youth. Animal welfare is also part of its mission, with donations of food and supplies to It Takes a Village No-Kill Animal Rescue.

Youth and family engagement remain central to TSPA’s outreach. Students participate in Spark, an annual event for eighth graders, where they provide face painting, nail art, and hair tinsel for 800 local students. During the holiday season, they collect toys for the Toys for Tots Drive, ensuring children across the region receive gifts.

Beyond direct service, TSPA reinforces its commitment through sustainability. A campus-wide recycling program demonstrates the Academy’s focus not only on today’s needs but also on creating a healthier environment for the future.

For students, these experiences foster growth in professionalism, confidence, and compassion. Faculty and staff model the same spirit of service, showing students that careers in beauty and wellness extend beyond technical skill; they are also about uplifting others.

Through ongoing partnerships with organizations such as Homeless Connect, the Isaiah Project, Southwest Mental Health Center, Cancer Pathways, It Takes a Village No-Kill Animal Rescue, and Toys for Tots, The Salon Professional Academy consistently demonstrates its dedication to community service.