Cosmetology Student Success Story: Nadine Campos

About Nadine Campos

The best career advice Nadine Campos ever received came from her late grandmother: do what makes you happy. It took a nursing program, seven years of choir, and one very big leap of faith to figure out exactly what that meant for her.

Nadine has always been a performer at heart. She describes herself as “a girly girl, a Fancy Nancy in real life,” and her creativity and personality make that easy to see. She spent seven years singing in choir and even won a preliminary round of a solo ensemble competition in Washington. She has always been creative and compassionate, with a natural desire to connect with people. Those qualities initially pointed her toward nursing. She completed her Nursing Assistant Certified (NAC) training before realizing that, while her empathy was one of her greatest strengths, the emotional weight of the work was difficult for her to carry. She knew she needed a different path.

So she listened to her grandmother. She followed her heart into an entirely different industry, one that still allows her to care for people, express her creativity, and make someone feel seen the moment they walk through the door. “I do not regret it at all,” she says. Before EBC, Nadine was learning to drive, reading more than 50 books in a single year, following every beauty trend she could find, and slowly discovering the kind of life she wanted to build. Now, she is turning that vision into a career.

The Evergreen Experience

EBC had been on Nadine’s radar for a while. She had done her research and compared schools across Washington, but it was her first conversation with admissions rep Lesley that made the decision easy. “I felt welcome and encouraged even as a first gen Latina,” she says. That feeling of belonging mattered to Nadine, and it set the tone for everything that followed.

Hair Color by Nadine

Inside the classroom, Nadine fell completely in love with hair color. Transformations are her thing: the process, the artistry, and especially the moment a client sees the result for the first time. “I love the feeling when my client sees themselves and their eyes light up with joy,” she says. She has had the honor of working with brides and has leaned heavily on the guidance of her mentor Trelby Marshall, who has helped her grow in ways she is genuinely grateful for. Color theory and highlighting placements have become her technical foundation, especially when it comes to color corrections.

But Nadine’s biggest growth at EBC has gone beyond technique. She has learned to believe in herself. “The most valuable and beautiful thing I have learned from EBC is believing in yourself and recognizing your strengths and achievements,” she says. The community of friends she has built at the Yakima campus has been one of the best parts of the whole experience, and she carries that with her.

In the chair, Nadine brings a range. She can match your energy when you walk in buzzing with excitement or melt the entire appointment into a calm relaxing space. As a bilingual Latina, she is especially intentional about making sure the Hispanic community feels welcomed and valued. “Everyone deserves to feel beautiful,” she says. Being bilingual means she gets to make that happen for even more of the people she loves serving. Clients can expect someone who listens without judgment, tailors every visit to them, and is never too proud to learn something new right alongside them.

As a Student Ambassador, Nadine has taken on a role that allows her to represent the Yakima campus and help others feel the same sense of welcome that meant so much to her when she first arrived. She was also recognized with the Culture Award, an honor that reflects the positive presence she brings to the EBC community and the way she contributes to the people around her. Add in multiple 100% attendance awards and two Digital Marketing Awards, and it becomes clear that Nadine’s impact reaches well beyond the chair. The Nadine Effect, it turns out, is felt throughout the campus too.

The Next Step

Updo by Nadine

After graduation, Nadine is heading to Hidden Gems to start building her career. From there, the goal is a personal studio built close to her clientele. She plans to put her extensions certification to use, continue growing her bridal and special event work, and keep showing up for the people who matter most to her. “My goal is to provide luxury services to my community and make as many people as possible feel beautiful inside and out,” she says. That is the whole vision, right there.

Her advice to anyone thinking about enrolling comes from someone who has learned firsthand what it means to keep moving forward. “Create a strong foundation of a positive mindset. You can do this. If there are struggles, which there will be, find another way to achieve your goal. There is always another way.” And then she closes it the way only Nadine can: “Stay true to you, porque si se puede.”

Nadine Campos graduated from EBC’s Yakima campus on August 31st, 2026. Follow her journey on Instagram at @thenadineeffect. We cannot wait to see what she builds.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in the beauty industry, check out our Cosmetology program or Schedule a Virtual Tour at one of our campuses: Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, North Seattle, Renton, Olympia, and Yakima.