Following the recent mass shooting on Michigan State University’s campus, Jordynn Greeson, a hair stylist at Capellini Salon in Okemos, stepped in to comfort students the best way she knows how – by doing hair.
Greeson, who has been a licensed hair stylist for eight years, is from the Detroit area. She and her family moved to Okemos this November and she has been working at Capellini salon since January.
Since Monday, Feb. 13, Greeson has been providing a variety of free hair treatments to MSU students. This includes haircuts, blowouts, conditioning treatments and silk presses.
“I really wanted to make sure that everybody felt included,” Greeson said. “I didn’t want to limit the services that I was providing to one single person.”
Going to the salon and getting her hair done is something that Greeson finds relaxing, so she wanted to provide a similar sense of peace to students impacted by Monday's tragic events.
Jordynn Greeson blow dries vet student Sonia Rafique’s hair on Friday, Feb. 17. Rafique got her hair done for the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s white coat ceremony, which took place Friday night.
After their services are completed, Greeson leaves students with a bag that includes self care items, her personal phone number and the number for a therapist who is offering free tele-health appointments to anyone impacted by the shooting.
The therapist, who is Greeson’s personal therapist, is who first inspired her to offer these treatments.
When Greeson showed up to her therapy appointment, they worked through ways to help her cope with the tragedy. The shooting hit close to home, as her cousin is a junior at MSU and her son attends preschool across the street from campus.
After talking, Greeson and her therapist came to the conclusion that she is at her best when she is helping others. She then made a social media post urging students to come by the salon.
“The least that I could do is to try and offer a little bit of serenity for those students,” Greeson said. “I couldn’t go there, you know, and be there personally for them, but having a safe place and a relaxed place for them here is the least that I could do.”
Greeson and Rafique talk over the shampoo tub. Greeson allows students the opportunity to talk, laugh or simply sit in silence for their appointment.
Greeson also chose to offer her personal phone number to students as a way to show them that someone has their back.
“I want them to know that even if they don’t have family close, there are people,” Greeson said.
Greeson had nine students come in to see her for the free services on Friday, Feb. 17 and nine more students came to see her Monday.
Due to the overwhelming response, Greeson is opening up another day for students to come in.
“I really want to fit in as many students as I can,” she said.
As MSU Veterinary School’s white coat ceremony took place last Friday, Greeson saw a lot of students come in to get their hair styled for the ceremony.
Greeson curls a strand of hair after performing a deep conditioning treatment. Greeson hopes to offer comfort to students for the short time they are in her chair.
Many of the veterinary students that came in felt that they couldn’t be excited for the ceremony, as it made them feel guilty, she said.
Despite the tragedy, Greeson said these students deserve to feel special.
“You put so much work in and the least I can do is help you feel good when you go there because you have to celebrate those moments in life,” she said.
While the services are meant to be comforting to students, Greeson said doing hair has also been therapeutic for her.
“I’m in this profession for a reason,” Greeson said. “I love making people feel good and really boosting their inner beauty.”
Seeing customers leave her chair feeling good about themselves makes Greeson feel good, too.
Rafique smiles as she puts on her jacket after her appointment finishes. She said her time at the salon was calming.
Greeson's appointments are catered to whatever the customer feels comfortable with. If they want to talk, Greeson is open to talking about their feelings or even simple conversations about TV shows. If a customer just wants to relax and get their hair done in silence, she offers silent appointments.
Greeson said that she is grateful that so many students have come in to see her and hopes that they continue to keep in touch with her.
“I really didn’t expect my post to blow up as much as it did," Greeson said. "I want them to know, even if past this time and past the time I’m offering free appointments, they can always come back to me ... if they need even just to sit and talk, I’m more than happy to talk."
Greeson's work can be found on her Instagram page. Capellini Salon is located at 1754 Central Park Dr in Okemos.
