Even as a kid, Mya Kornezos knew one thing: She wanted to work in the beauty industry. Long before she knew where her career would take her, she was giving makeovers to her toys and talking her friends into makeup experiments.

Her dream did not follow the path she originally expected.

Kornezos, who was raised in Cass Lake, planned to attend Bemidji’s Professional Salon Academy after high school. When the school closed in the summer of 2021, she found herself uncertain about what came next. She spent her time in different jobs and college programs while trying to figure out her future.

Then the timing finally worked in her favor.

In August 2024, Northwest Technical College opened its Cosmetology Academy in the former Professional Salon Academy location on Anne Street, retaining former owner Wendy Brown as lead faculty. For Kornezos, it was the opportunity she had been waiting for.

“It was a matter of chance,” Kornezos said.

“It also helped when I found out Wendy Brown and Lori Reed were both back teaching the programs.”

Kornezos has earned her esthetician certificate and is completing her nail technician certificate at NTC. Along the way, she discovered the experience was about much more than learning technical skills.

“You don’t just learn about the craft you’re specializing in, you learn a lot about yourself,” she said. “I have grown so much in the last year.”

She credits her instructors with challenging her to become the best version of herself while helping her realize her passion for the profession. She also said the friendships she built with classmates became one of the most meaningful parts of her experience.

Brown said Kornezos stood out from the beginning.

“Mya has been an exemplary student in two of our programs: Esthetics and Nail Technology,” Brown said. “She has been such a joy to educate. She is a lifelong learner and has shown amazing grit to get through both programs. Her attendance was next to perfect for both programs, and she has leadership skills that have made her a role model for other students. I know without a doubt that Mya and her business will be extremely successful for years to come.”

After graduation, Kornezos plans to open her own business in Walker, taking advantage of an opportunity to rent space with a mentor who has worked in the industry for years. The opportunity allows her to launch her own business while continuing to learn from someone she considers a mentor.

But Kornezos hopes her story does not end in Walker. Her long-term goal is to bring her business back to Cass Lake, where she wants to help create opportunities for others.

“I love my community, but I believe there needs to be more businesses on the reservation,” she said. “At the end of the day, I just hope I can inspire more people in my community to go after what they want and better the reservation for the next generations.”

Eventually, Kornezos hopes to teach and mentor future beauty professionals, giving back to the next generation the same way her instructors invested in her.

Looking back, she is grateful for the support of her family, friends and instructors who encouraged her throughout her journey.

For anyone considering a similar path, her advice is simple:

“Just take the leap and just go for it,” she said. “You don’t want to have regrets later in life because you didn’t give your passion a chance.”