On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the Center for Basic Needs hosted a free barbershop pop-up in the Student Union. Through a partnership with the Master Academy of Barbering, it brought a free and convenient option for students looking to get their haircuts done, all without leaving campus.
The goal of the Center for Basic Needs is to provide students with all the basic resources they need to succeed here at the University of Tennessee and beyond.
Students who may have a professional event or interview coming up, or any students who may be short on money, might’ve found great value in the pop-up.
Students currently studying at the Master Academy set up their shop in the Student Union’s art gallery where UT students were able to sign up for several different time slots that morning for a haircut.
The Master Academy set up several barber chairs in the space, accompanied by about a half-dozen barber students. There, essentially a fully operating barber shop ran in the Student Union for several hours on Wednesday morning.
This came as a great training opportunity for students in the barber school to gather experience with real-world clients. At the same time, it proved beneficial for UT students, who could avoid traveling far off campus or paying a few bucks for their haircut.
Blake Pinchback, an employee at the Center for Basic Needs, described why it was important for the organization to host this event.
“I think that it just helps a lot of students, and it’s always a good resource to have,” Pinchback said.
Students expressed their appreciation for this convenient on-campus service that alleviated some of the stress that comes with balancing academics and personal care. These events contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling college experience.
Pinchback saw that students were pleased with the entire experience and with their resulting haircuts.
“Whenever the students will get up to leave they seem really excited,” Pinchback said. “They seem like they like their haircut.”
It wasn’t only students who benefited from the pop-up, but the barber students themselves. Pinchback enjoyed seeing the excitement of the students after getting their new haircut but also being able to see the barbers in training gaining more experience through the pop-up.
“Both seeing the student’s faces when they had their fresh new haircut,” Pinchback said. “But also like getting to see the barbers kind of learn and experience and get better at their jobs.”
The Master Academy took students out of the classroom environment and into practical application for this event. Nathan Tulloch, a student at the Master Academy, described the value he saw in participating in the event.
“Just talking to the students and seeing that they’re getting a service,” said Tulloch. “Right now with the economy, it’s hard to pull off forty bucks when you’re in school.”
Dozens of students were able to come by and receive a free haircut in the three hour window that the pop-up was open.
The collaboration between the Center for Basic Needs and Knoxville’s Master Academy of Barbering proved to be an excellent opportunity for barber students to hone in their skills with real customers and for UT students to take advantage of a free and necessary service, just steps away from their classes.
The success of this pop-up barbershop not only highlighted the importance of accessible services for students but also showed the value of practical training for barber students.
Looking ahead, the Center for Basic Needs plans to host more events like this, aiming to address various student needs and promote well-being. The positive feedback from participants suggests a growing demand for these kinds of initiatives.
