San Jacinto College, TDLR partner on state licensing exams
Students simultaneously complete final exam, state certification exam
PASADENA, Texas – San Jacinto College and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) have partnered on an innovative program that puts students on a path to working in the cosmetology industry faster.
San Jacinto College is the only institution in Texas selected to offer the state cosmetology licensing exam as its final exam, partnering with the state to administer the exams on the North and South campuses.
“Previously, students would complete their final exam, walk at commencement, and three or four months later sit for their state licensing exam,” said San Jacinto College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer. “This partnership with the state and TDLR allows our faculty to administer the state licensing exam in conjunction with the program’s final exam, so that students know upon exam completion whether they are licensed to work in the state of Texas. We appreciate the state’s partnership in piloting this initiative with our San Jacinto College cosmetology students, and we look forward to expanding this opportunity across disciplines.”
Diana Perez, San Jacinto College cosmetology program director, says this partnership will help graduates enter the workforce much sooner and with more confidence. “Instead of waiting months, students can complete their class, take their exam, and start working – and in some cases, within the same week. For the cosmetology industry, it means a more reliable talent pipeline and professionals who are ready to contribute on day one. For Texas, it’s a model for how we can modernize the licensing process while maintaining high standards and putting students first.”
This initiative came to fruition thanks to TDLR Commissioner and San Jacinto College Foundation Board Member Tom Butler, discussing the potential of such a program with San Jacinto College Board of Trustees Vice Chair John Moon, Jr. After initial conversations, the Board of Trustees approved the pilot and partnership. Funding to cover the cost of the license exam and fees was made through a donation from the late David Waters, a retired San Jacinto College cosmetology instructor.
TDLR says it is constantly seeking ways to improve the services it provides to all Texans, and innovations such as this partnership help to provide predictable, common-sense guidance to its licensees and customers while remaining flexible and pragmatic in its approach to regulation.
For students like Alexis West, it means she is one step closer to opening her own nail studio. “Having our final exam also be our state license exam was beneficial because we got our license immediately,” said West, who completed the cosmetology operator program and plans to open a nail studio soon. “We were nervous at first, but in the end, we saw how beneficial this was.”
West said she plans to return this fall for advanced cosmetology courses.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott provided a message to the cosmetology graduates. In part, it read: “As the inaugural class of the innovative program, a partnership between San Jacinto College and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, you have set the bar high for future students, and I congratulate you. Your hard work and commitment to quickly enter the workforce in the high demand fields of cosmetology, barbering, massage therapy, and nail esthetics is admirable. You have demonstrated academic excellence, personal perseverance, and no small amount of hard work, and you should therefore feel deep satisfaction. The license you receive today is not only the goal you have worked so diligently to attain but also a symbol of the education that has prepared you for success in any further endeavor.”
About San Jacinto College Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s.
