Bloomington, Indiana – When Margaret Ferguson was told in 2019 that she had Ehlers-Danlos syndrome—a rare and debilitating connective tissue disorder—her world shifted overnight. After over a decade of working as a skilled hairdresser, the diagnosis abruptly ended her career in the beauty industry. The chronic pain and physical limitations brought on by her condition made it impossible to keep working behind the chair. But instead of letting the loss define her, Ferguson chose to redefine herself—and now, she’s helping others do the same.
“I started from scratch despite having a cosmetology certificate because those credits are not transferable to colleges,” Ferguson said. “Despite many challenges, I had to figure something out.”
What she figured out was a whole new path. After earning an associate degree from a community college in 2021, Ferguson transferred to Indiana University Bloomington as a Cox Access Scholar. There, she began a unique academic journey that combined her background in beauty with new studies in philosophy and nonprofit management. Next week, she will graduate with an individualized major focused on applied aesthetics—a blend of theory and real-world insight grounded in the cultural and economic realities of the beauty industry.
But Ferguson didn’t stop at earning a degree. With guidance from faculty at IU’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and funding from the College of Arts and Sciences, she launched a nonprofit called Beyond the Chair. The organization aims to offer career development, education pathways, and labor advocacy for professionals in the beauty industry—especially for those like herself who can no longer work in salons but still want to build meaningful futures.
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Her project was born from both lived experience and research. Alongside Leah Miller, another former cosmetologist currently studying data science at Eastern University, Ferguson designed a survey to better understand the educational backgrounds and aspirations of beauty workers. Their findings were telling: most cosmetologists have no formal education beyond their license, and many are eager for learning opportunities in subjects like chemistry, marketing, psychology, and communications to expand their options.
“Only 14 percent of respondents had an associate degree,” Ferguson noted. “But many expressed real interest in going back to school—if only there were programs that supported their transition.”
The duo concluded that beauty workers could greatly benefit from a combined associate degree program that includes not just technical training but also general education and career development courses. That idea became part of the broader vision for Beyond the Chair.
As she turned that vision into reality, Ferguson realized just how complex launching a nonprofit could be. She enrolled in a class on nonprofit management taught by Professor Beth Gazley at the O’Neill School—widely recognized as the top public affairs school in the country. Gazley, a veteran in nonprofit governance and fundraising, became a guiding light.
“That class has been a saving grace,” Ferguson said. “I constantly visited Professor Gazley during open office hours. To have access to someone who has a wealth of real-world experience in the nonprofit sector is invaluable. We wrote four sizeable memos in her class, and I catered them to problems we were solving in my organization.”
With that support, Ferguson discovered not only how to structure her nonprofit but also how to advocate for policy change. One recent development—the passage of a law in Indiana that allows apprenticeships as an alternative to traditional beauty schools—showed her the importance of engaging with legislation. Beyond the Chair now incorporates advocacy into its mission, in addition to providing research and workforce support.
“We pride ourselves on having a real depth of offerings which we integrate into other disciplines; such is the case with Margaret,” Gazley said. “That’s what I love about teaching, that we can help students figure out how to create change in their world.”
Ferguson is already thinking ahead. She wants to create a scholarship fund, advocate for transferable cosmetology credits, and build a support network for professionals who are leaving the beauty field—whether due to disability, burnout, or shifting life goals. She also gained valuable insight from another course taught by Shaun Khurana, who guides students through nonprofit communications strategies.
“This is an opportunity for students to roll up their sleeves and encounter the organizational challenges that come along with starting a nonprofit,” Khurana said. “They develop strategies to ensure the organization is not just going to survive but thrive. So it’s great when we partner with early-stage nonprofits like Margaret’s. It’s the perfect case for them.”
In his class, student groups tackled real-world issues relevant to Beyond the Chair. One team looked at how to build scholarship models. Another examined how to address turnover and burnout in the beauty field. Others explored legal protections and workers’ rights for salon employees. It was a rare opportunity for the students to apply their coursework to an actual organization—and an equally valuable moment for Ferguson to collect fresh, innovative ideas from new voices.
One of those students, Paige Espeseth, an arts management major with a business minor, came away inspired. “What Margaret is working on is so awesome!” she said. “Being in this class provided me the skills to examine an organization like Beyond the Chair and offer advice so they can achieve their goals.”
Now, as Ferguson prepares to walk across the graduation stage, her transformation from hairdresser to scholar and nonprofit founder is nearly complete. But she sees this as just the beginning. She’s currently applying to the Master of Public Affairs program at O’Neill to further sharpen her skills in public policy, advocacy, and organizational leadership.
“As a nontraditional student, my journey at IU Bloomington has been unique, but it helped me find my calling,” she said. “I loved being a hairdresser, so I was disappointed when I couldn’t do that anymore. To find community here in the philosophy department and at O’Neill inspired me to do something that I never would have thought possible before, and I’m so grateful.”
With a passion grounded in personal experience and a future focused on empowering others, Margaret Ferguson is rewriting what it means to build a second act—and in doing so, she’s giving beauty workers across the country hope for something beyond the chair.
