Salon and Spa Management Program to Open at Oneonta

Oneonta, Ala. — Wallace State Community College announces the addition of Salon and Spa Management courses at its Oneonta Applied Technologies Center starting with the Fall 2025 semester.

“We are pleased to provide a new program option for residents in Blount County and surrounding areas,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “Adding Salon and Spa Management courses at our Oneonta site brings additional opportunities for the workforce of the area and adds to our current programs, which include academic transfer, dual enrollment, nursing, welding, adult education, workforce training, and more.”

“The launch of the Salon and Spa Management program at our Oneonta site reflects Wallace State’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our communities,” said Jerry Murcks, Dean of Applied Technologies. “This program not only equips students with in-demand skills but also supports the growth of local businesses by preparing a highly trained workforce in the beauty and wellness industry.”

Blount County native Santana Dorning will lead instruction at the Oneonta site. She is a graduate of the Blount County school system, attending J.B. Pennington High School, where she started her education in cosmetology at the Blount County Career Technical Center. She completed her education with Wallace State’s Salon and Spa program. She has a 11 years of teaching experience in the beauty industry.

“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity to give back to my hometown as an instructor of the Salon and Spa Management program at Wallace State’s Oneonta site,” Dorning said. “I can’t wait to meet the students who will be taking classes there and the community members who will take advantage of the services.”

Program director Sabrina Flanigan expects the program to grow quickly, with several students already enrolled. She said students will enjoy working in the newly renovated Salon and Spa facility. It includes a cosmetology lab with styling stations, aesthetic area for skin care services, and nail care room equipped with manicure and pedicure stations. The salon will offer services to the public beginning the Spring semester 2026.

The first Salon and Spa Management classes planned at the Oneonta site this fall will include Introduction to Cosmetology with a lab, Specialty Hair Prep Techniques and Bacteriology and Sanitation. The academic courses required for the associate degree and certificate options are available at the Oneonta Academic Center as well as online.

“We are excited to continue to expand program options and opportunities for students through Wallace State Oneonta,” said Lauren Wilson, Director of the Oneonta Instructional Site and Dual Enrollment. “The Salon and Spa Management staff has been working to create a great learning environment for their students.”

Oneonta’s Salon and Spa Management program will be housed at the Applied Technologies Center located at 728 2nd Ave. SE. For more information, contact Flanigan at 256.352.8197 or sabrina.flanigan@wallacestate.edu.

Registration for the Fall 2025 semester is underway, with classes beginning on Aug. 19. Summer Mini Term II classes will begin July 3. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call Lion Central at 256.352.8236 or come by the Hanceville or Oneonta campus centers. Current and incoming students may schedule an advising session with the Center for Student Success at www.wallacestate.edu/advising.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.