Meet the Minerva Scholarship Recipients of 2021

Each year, Minerva Beauty partners with the Professional Beauty Association to award scholarships to three students currently enrolled in a cosmetology program based in the United States. The grand prize recipient receives a $5,000 scholarship and the 1st and 2nd runner ups are awarded $2,500 of scholarship funds. Read below to learn about the 3 Minerva Scholarship Recipients of 2021!

Grand Prize Recipient

The 2021 grand prize recipient of the Minerva Scholarship worth $5,000 is Ashley Baumgart. Ashley was born and raised in Mount Carmel, Illinois where she attended high school as well as 2 years at Wabash Valley College where she received her first Associate Degree. She continued her education at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville where she graduated with her second Associate Degree in Occupational Therapy Assisting. After realizing this was not the right career for her, Ashley went back to working at a restaurant in her hometown that she had worked at since she was 14. Ashley then decided to pursue another career path, one she had always thought about and really excited her, and that is when she enrolled at Vincennes Beauty College. Ashley is honored and excited to be a part of the beauty industry, and looks forward to the bright and beautiful journey that lies ahead.

“I am so incredibly thankful to have received this scholarship. I shared some information about myself and goals for my life in this essay that I haven’t shared with a lot of people, so having it acknowledged like this is such a great feeling,” expresses Ashley. “Receiving this scholarship will impact my life in many ways, but I think the most important way is that it is a reminder that we should all offer a helping hand when we are able. I hope to be able to pay this blessing forward in some way down the road.”

1st Runner Up

The 1st runner up of the 2021 Minerva Scholarship awarded $2,500 is Alysia Souto. Alysia is in her 30’s, newly married, enrolled at the Paul Mitchell School Rhode Island, and feeling confident about life. However, Alysia expresses her life hasn’t always been this way. She grew up with a rocky upbringing that left her out on her own pretty early in life. The one thing that always kept her going was her motivation to be happy – a happiness and smile no one could take away from her. Alysia worked really hard to support herself, wore a smile everyday, but realized being happy is more than just staying away from toxicity and putting on a brave smile. Alysia decided she wanted a fulfilling career that would allow her to spread happiness by helping people look and feel their best, leading her to the beauty industry. Alysia is thrilled for this scholarship opportunity, and plans on making the absolute most of it.

“This scholarship is beyond helpful to me. I have responsibilities, a home to take care of, and there are moments I feel like I should just find a job and make money to survive,” Alysia explains. “Making money to survive is what I’ve been doing since I was 16 for 40 hours+ per week. This scholarship is a reminder that I am working towards getting my cosmetology license. And that life isn’t about just working to survive but that I should also get a chance to love what I’m doing for work. I get to make woman/men feel beautiful and get paid for that. This is beyond helpful and the best reminder that it pays to work towards something you believe in. Thank you!”

2nd Runner Up

Genesis Soto is the 2021 Minerva Scholarship 2nd runner up and has been awarded $2,500 worth of scholarship funds. Genesis is a cosmetology student at the Temple Annapolis. She admits attending cosmetology school has been one of the hardest things she’s done, but it has also pushed her to be more confident and to believe in herself. Genesis expresses that she is so grateful for the challenges that have enabled a shift in mindset, because they have inspired her to bring this new positivity to everyone she meets on a daily basis.

“Receiving this scholarship means that you guys believe in me and acknowledge my efforts to succeed,” expresses Genesis.