Helena College highlights new cosmetology salon, motorcycle-safety program and plan for first in-state occupational therapy assistant program

Helena College reported at the March 2025 Montana Board of Regents meeting that the campus has opened a year-round cosmetology associate program, expanded statewide noncredit safety training and is planning the state’s first occupational therapy assistant program, Dean Baumann said.

The developments matter for workforce and rural access: the cosmetology program aims to put graduates into local salons quickly, the motorcycle-safety work reduces crash risk statewide, and the planned OTA degree is intended to fill a gap in health-care training that currently forces employers to hire occupational therapists to do work allowable for OTAs.

Dean Baumann said the cosmetology associate of applied science began accepting students in January 2024 and was designed as a 15-month “sprint” degree to speed graduates into the workforce. "Our students are learning all aspects of the business from performing hair, skin, and nail services to the business skills they need to be successful," Baumann told the board. The program partnered with Kenra Professional for products and guest instruction, and the campus salon has performed more than 5,000 services for live clients since opening for services in May 2024, Baumann said. The services tally includes roughly 1,400 haircuts, about 1,000 pedicures and over 900 manicure/nail services.

Baumann also described Helena College’s role as the new host of the Montana Motorcycle Rider Safety Program, which held classes in 10 locations this year. He said 916 riders completed the program this year, up from 723 the year before, and characterized that increase as a contribution to public safety.

Looking ahead, Helena College is developing an occupational therapy assistant program the dean said will be the first OTA education program offered in Montana. Baumann said the OTA program will be offered in a HyFlex model — combining on-campus hands‑on training with remote didactic coursework — and, like cosmetology, is designed to be finished in roughly 15 months. The college expects to seek accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and told the board it is targeting an accreditation decision in January 2027; recruitment would begin in fall 2026 if accreditation proceeds on schedule.

Baumann highlighted enrollment and student‑success trends: average annual full‑time equivalent enrollment has grown nearly 10% since the 2021 school year and unduplicated headcount is projected to exceed 2,000 this academic year, the college said. Transfer outcomes are strong, with the college reporting that 96% of students who transferred to four‑year schools were in good academic standing; the median transfer GPA cited was 3.74 for fall 2023. Dual‑enrollment participation also rose: the college said it served more than 1,200 dual‑enrollment students last year and expects about 1,450 this year. Dean Baumann highlighted a student example, Isabella Williamson, a first‑generation student and Helena College student body president, who he said began as a dual‑enrollment student and will transfer to the University of Montana to study public health.

Baumann closed by thanking college employees and inviting questions from the Regents. Chair Buchanan and other Regents thanked Baumann and campus staff for the work described and for hosting the remote meeting.

Helena College provided data and program details during the campus update; board members asked no formal questions that changed the programs’ plans during the meeting.