Since she was seven years old, Zatasia Crumpler knew that when she was older she wanted to be a Cosmetologist. At seven, she may have not known what Cosmetology was, but she knew she wanted to “do hair.” After she graduated from Union High School in 2014, she decided to attend Sampson Community College (SCC) to begin her studies in Cosmetology. Since first beginning her Cosmetology journey, Crumpler has grown both in her work and as a person.
“I have always loved making people feel beautiful and be able to look at themselves and not have to worry. I love to take a creation and just build from it,” Crumpler shared.
After starting at SCC, Crumpler moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and was not able to finish her Cosmetology degree. In 2018, she moved back to Sampson County. When she returned, Department Chair of Cosmetology, Loreta Jones, pushed Crumpler to come back to SCC to complete what she had started. Jones remembered Crumpler as a bright, creative student.
“Zatasia Crumpler was an amazing, courageous, exciting, and very intelligent student. She had the charisma and creative skill that allowed her to excel above and beyond the call of a cosmetology student. She was the first in her immediate family to graduate college. This was a student who had lots of challenges,” Jones commented. “As the mother of three children, she kept on task with her theory and practical classes, while assisting her children with their work and managing to keep a part-time job.”
Crumpler is mother to three children, all age seven and below. Crumpler believes that her three children are her main motivators when it comes to completing her degree and becoming a Cosmetologist. Crumpler also shared that the encouragement of her instructors pushed her to continue in the program.
“When I first came to SCC I was really scared and did not know what to expect. My instructors encouraged me to finish. They knew my background and they knew my story,” Crumpler stated.
When Crumpler returned to SCC in 2018, she was a part of one of the first groups to complete the Natural Hair Care certification. Crumpler completed this certification in December of 2018, but she did not want to stop there. She now on the track to receiving an Associate of Applied Science in Cosmetology degree in 2021.
Cosmetology Instructor, Pharris Shirley stated, “Zatasia, always has a smile on her face. She is the type of person that you always want to be around because of her positive attitude. If you are feeling down spend two minutes with her and you will be feeling better. She never let her circumstances stand in the way of dreams. She is willing to learn any task put before her. Her passion for helping others look their best is what drives her.”
In 2020, Crumpler received her CDL License and currently works as a bus driver for Sunset Avenue Elementary School. When it comes to her job as a Cosmetologist, she is working on building up her overall brand. She is currently working on expanding her Cosmetology business, Tayesstyelz, LLC.
Upon graduation Crumpler hopes to start working in a salon. Ideally, she hopes to work in a smaller salon in order to gain the learning experience she needs as a young Cosmetologist. She plans to continue driving buses as a part-time job to remain close to her children. Zatasia Crumpler has a bright future ahead of her. She plans on expanding her business and brand and hopes to have a salon of her own one day. Crumpler’s journey is proof of hard work and determination.
Interested in Cosmetology? Contact Cosmetology Department Chair, Loreta Jones at ljones@sampsoncc.edu or 910.900.4069 for more information.
About Sampson Community College: Sampson Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, located in Clinton, NC in Sampson County. The college offers many programs to include two-year degrees, college transfer, continuing education and workforce development options, and early college education.
