I have served as the Esthetics and Spa Management Program Coordinator at Loyalist College for the past 19 years. 

This program has now been suspended, a decision that will have a lasting impact on students, families, employers, faculty and our community.

Local employers will lose a consistent stream of skilled professionals at a time of high demand. Students who relied on accessible, local programs—including those who pursued alternative pathways to complete their secondary school diploma or entered through government funded education initiatives—have lost a critical opportunity.

For many, relocation is not an option. For them, a door has closed on their dreams.

Our program ran at full capacity. Most of our learners were domestic and local. Many were single mothers, and many were the first in their families to attend college. They came from a variety of backgrounds, including First Nations, Inuit, and Metis.

Many were young women who saw esthetics and spa management as a pathway to stable, meaningful employment.

Family responsibilities and financial limitations make travel outside the region impossible for most. There is now no practical alternative to continue their training.

I feel for the families who have saved for years to make postsecondary education possible for their children. I feel for the faculty and staff who are losing both their positions and the opportunity to continue shaping the careers of future professionals in this growing field.

Adding to this loss is the significant investment in Loyalist’s newly renovated spa facilities, a state-of-the-art learning environment for our students. Unwind Spa, formerly known as the Spa at Loyalist, was a hub for community engagement. It supported the teaching of professional-level services, and contributed to student success.

From assisting military families coping with PTSD, to welcoming vulnerable youth to explore educational opportunities, the spa went well beyond its role as a classroom.

It also generated income to support program operations, making its closure even more difficult to understand.

Our community placements served employers and students, and were especially important in Prince Edward County, where qualified staff is critically short.

Enrollment numbers in the Esthetics and Spa Management program were strong. Last year alone, we welcomed 70 first- and second-year students. The majority lived locally and were training to fill critical job shortages.

The closure of this program represents more than the end of an academic offering. It dismantles a proven pathway to meaningful work, removes a reliable source of skilled graduates for local businesses, and erases opportunities for learners who have already overcome significant barriers to pursue their education and build brighter futures.