The institute also serves as the District of Columbia's official practical examination site for barbering and cosmetology licensure and operates workforce training programs, including one at the D.C. Department of Corrections. 

Through its partnership with Howard, Bennett Career Institute will operate the C. Alan Barber Salon at Drew Hall, offering barbering, natural hair, manicure and pedicure services, and the C. Alan Hair Salon at The Quad, providing quick, appointment-based hair care for students. To make an appointment, visit: The C. Alan Experience.

“Howard University helped shape who I became as a leader and entrepreneur,” Bennett said. “To return and serve the next generation of Bison is an incredible honor. These students are not going to be students forever. They’re going to be doctors, lawyers and potential presidents. We understand that when people look good, they feel better.”

The Drew Hall Grooming Lounge, located on the first floor, will feature four stations dedicated to barbering and natural hair care. Services will include lineups, edge-ups and natural hair maintenance. The Drew Hall space also will include a separate nail services room staffed by licensed nail technicians offering manicures and pedicures.

“It’s so important that we teach the brothers how to take care of their feet,” said Bennett, who is diabetic and a kidney transplant recipient. Diabetes can damage nerves and reduce blood flow to the feet, making it harder to notice cuts, blisters, or infections. 

The Quad Hall Salon, located on the residence hall’s lower level near the women’s gym, will be housed in an existing three-chair salon space. Bennett said limiting the space to two stylists will help create a more inviting atmosphere.

The Quad Hall salon space was created during a major 2019 renovation led by Student Affairs to better serve women living in the residence hall. Drew Hall previously featured a modest barbershop, but it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new collaboration took shape last year after Bennett's broker reached out to Howard about salon space.

"We wanted the services to be very affordable, and he was picking up what we were putting down," said Candy Dennis, director of Student Housing and Commercial Portfolio Management. "There was mutual interest from the beginning."

This marks the first university partnership for the C. Alan Brand, expanding its award-winning beauty and barbering services to the Howard campus.

In and Out Professional Services, and Much More

The salon will focus on quick, appointment-based services including shampoo and blowouts, braid preparation, conditioning treatments and silk wraps, with most appointments lasting less than an hour. 

“These are services we can complete in 45 to 50 minutes, so students can get back to class on time and not be in the salon all day,” Bennett said. “We get them in and out, and that’s also how we can keep the prices down.”

The salon will not offer chemical treatments or hair coloring. Students needing full-service salon experiences may also visit the C. Alan Signature Salon (705 Florida Avenue NW) or the C. Alan Men’s Grooming Salon (923 U Street NW), both operated by the C. Alan Brand. 

Both locations will begin serving clients Aug. 11. Students also will be able to use Bison Bucks, and Bennett Career Institute plans to offer discounted service packages for incoming freshmen that can be purchased before the start of the semester. 

Anything to add here? Can we offer a few words about price points for services, a few highlights from the price menu -- KJ

Howard health sciences graduate Kameron Davis (BS ’ 23) will serve as manager of the Drew Hall barbershop, while fellow Howard marketing graduate Eric Brown III (BBA ’26) recently joined Bennett Career Institute’s apprenticeship program and will be part of the campus team. In all, Bennett Career Institute will staff the two locations with nine professionals.

The institute also plans to host beauty education programs and product demonstrations on campus while involving Howard students in planning events and outreach activities.

“Our people struggle to find quality hair care and reliable information about caring for their hair,” Bennett said. “As professionals, we see so many people come in from different places who simply don’t know what to do. We want to encourage and educate them, not only about their hair, but also about products and other aspects of beauty and barbering.”

A Howard Alumnus Builds a D.C. Institution

As a Howard alumnus, Bennett said the opportunity carries special significance on several levels. The Washington, D.C., native grew up within walking distance of Howard but left the city for college, attending Virginia Union University before transferring to Morehouse College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in religion.

Unable to find a job on a college campus after graduation, Bennett, whose first name is Chet, accepted a $7-an-hour position as a financial aid assistant at [predecessor school name to Bennett] after encouragement from his pastor.

“I said, ‘There’s no way I’m going to do something like that,’” Bennett recalled. “My pastor said, ‘Chet, take the job because you don’t know what God has in store for you.’” 

Within four years, Bennett rose to become administrator of five beauty school campuses in Washington, Richmond, Virginia, Petersburg, Virginia, Fredericksburg, Virginia and Annapolis, Maryland. During that time, he also attended Howard University, where his evening class schedule allowed him to continue working while earning his master’s degree. 

When the schools closed in 1996, officials with the District’s licensing commission urged the then-25-year-old Bennett to open his own school. His mother, who had successfully sued the Federal Reserve Board in a racial discrimination case, invested part of her settlement in his new business.

Bennett opened Bennett Beauty Institute on Rhode Island Avenue before relocating to its current 30,000-square-foot campus on Monroe Street. Today, he is planning to redevelop the property with affordable housing while relocating the school to a smaller facility.

Top photo: Candy Dennis, director of Student Housing and Commercial Portfolio Management, spearheaded the effort to bring Dr. Chet Alan Bennett and his grooming services to Howard University’s campus.