Human Services

Kawania Williams

Salon Owner

High school: Virginia Beach TCE Center (’98)

Career & Technical Ed. Program Studied: Cosmetology

Additional Studies/Training: On-the-job training, state licensure

A Career With Style

As a young teen, Kawania Williams was already styling her own hair, as well as her family members’ hair, so cosmetology studies were a natural for her in high school. “After I graduated, I had enough hours of experience to take the state boards ...and I went right to work [for a salon] right after my senior year.” Soon, she was able to operate a salon herself.

Asked to recall the main benefit of her CTE studies, Williams doesn’t point to technique, but rather to discipline. “We actually had to carry ourselves as if we were in the field, and we had to be very professional. We had to wear uniforms and address each other as ‘Miss’ [and] we had to dress for success. That helped me then and it’s still helping me today.”