Michael Bayer, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, receives a haircut from Samantha Hernandez, a Des Moines barber, in Parks Library's Cyclone Support Central Tuesday morning. Photos by Christopher Gannon.
Tucked away in a multipurpose space at Parks Library Tuesday, six barbers from the Des Moines area, working for nearly six hours, completed haircuts for 56 Iowa State students. ClipDart, a national not-for-profit started by a Grinnell College alumnus, provides free haircuts, mostly for college student and senior audiences, as a mental wellness service. Tuesday's haircut fest was the first of four scheduled this semester and open to all students (two October dates and one November date are nearly filled).
It also launched a collaboration between the division of student affairs' Cyclone Support programming and University Library's Cyclone Support Central, a physical hub on the library's main level. The venue also will be the place for flu shot clinics for students on Oct. 1, 15 and 29; and drop-in wellness activities throughout the semester hosted by Student Health and Wellness. An emerging trend nationally is for academic libraries to offer spaces for student wellness.
Costs for the haircut events with ClipDart are being shared by Student Health and Wellness, Multicultural Student Affairs, First Scholars program and TRIO Student Support Services, with in-kind support from University Library.
(left) Senior Hunter Pope, a supply chain management major, receives a cut from barber John Martin of Des Moines.
