Blending Beauty and Science: Willana's Story
Bidwell Training Center (BTC) alum Willana Burgess has always been passionate about cosmetics, beauty, and self-love, values that her mother instilled in her from a young age. When Willana moved to Pittsburgh, she and her father attended a local job fair in search of new opportunities, where she discovered BTC’s career training programs.
As she explored her options, the Chemical Laboratory Technology program immediately stood out. Although she had no background in chemistry, the idea of learning the science behind cosmetic creation intrigued her. It felt like a natural next step, combining her love for beauty with a deeper understanding of how products are made. With that realization, she took a leap of faith.
While enrolled at BTC, Willana faced one of the hardest moments of her life: the loss of her mother. The grief was heavy, and there were times she wanted to step away completely. Instead, she leaned on the community around her -- her family, classmates, and instructors. The support she found at BTC extended beyond academics; it became a source of strength when she needed it most.
When asked what stands out most about Bidwell, she doesn’t hesitate: “The best thing about Bidwell Training Center is that the program is 100% free and that is something you don’t find anywhere.”
She also formed close bonds with her classmates and instructors, especially Chemical Laboratory Technician program director, Dr. Kelly Weiler. “I never felt afraid to ask questions,” Willana recalled. “She offered so many solutions and worked hard to include my interest in cosmetics in my assignments.”
She formed close bonds with her classmates and instructors, especially Dr. Kelly Weiler. “I never felt afraid to ask questions,” Willana said. “She offered so many solutions and worked hard to include my interest in cosmetics into my assignments.”
One of her most memorable experiences at BTC moments came when she hosted a Lip Gloss Lab workshop for the entire school. Students and staff created their own custom lip gloss, starting with a base, adding coconut oil, choosing colors and scents, and packaging a finished product to take home. The workshop captured everything she had learned, blending creativity with science in a hands-on way.
That same foundation carried into her Quality Control Lab externship at PPG Industries. “My externship at PPG was absolutely great,” she said. “The training was easy to follow, and I was already familiar with the equipment we used at BTC. The confidence I gained from working at a global company meant everything to me.”
The experience reinforced that what she learned at BTC translated directly into real world work environments. Balancing a full-time program with everyday responsibilities taught her how to prioritize, adapt, and stay disciplined without burning out.
Today, Willana continues to build on that momentum. She works as a Beauty Advisor at Ulta Beauty while running her own cosmetics business, Naomi Lodge Collection. Now, she doesn’t just create products, she understands the science behind them and what it takes to bring them to life.
Her journey wasn’t simple. It wasn’t easy.
But it was worth it. Find out more at https://naomilodgecollection.com/.
To future Bidwell students, Willana offers this advice:
“Everything that is rewarding comes with a challenge. Lean on your classmates and your discipline. It will all make sense—and it will be worth it in the end.”
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Abby Finds Her Center at MCG Youth
Abby Malkin didn’t expect ceramics to become such an important part of her life. A National Youth Champion in weightlifting, she first came to Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild (MCG) Youth while recovering from surgery that kept her from lifting. Looking for another after-school activity, she found herself in the ceramics studio. What started as a temporary detour quickly became something more meaningful.
At first, ceramics was just something new to try. Abby had always planned on a career in art, but clay wasn’t part of that vision. Still, she kept coming back, taking every ceramics class she could, hands covered in slip, sleeves dusted with clay, losing track of time as she worked. Before long, she realized she loved it.
With each piece she made— some successful, some collapsing before they could even hold their shape— taught her something new. Not just about the technique, but about herself. She realized that trying a new medium wasn’t a risk, it was an opportunity.
The teaching artists at MCG Youth played a major role in that shift. They didn’t just teach technique; they helped Abby see that there wasn’t only one path forward. They encouraged her to explore, to take creative risks, and most importantly, to take herself seriously as an artist. That confidence carried into everything she did.
One of her proudest moments came as the deadline for the MCG Youth Arts Invitational approached. Racing against the clock, the hours blurred together as doubt crept in. But she finished. And when she stepped back and looked at what she had made, something shifted. For the first time, she didn’t just like her work. She was proud of it.
Over time, Abby’s role at MCG Youth expanded beyond being a student. She became an active party of the community that had supported her, assisting with classes in sewing, stuffed animal making, and up-cycling clothing in the design studio. Behind the scenes she helped set up the All City Art Showcase, framed photos from the 2025 Yellowstone trip, and stepped in to move heavy materials in ceramics. She became someone others could rely on, just like she had relied on those before her.
That’s why she believes programs like MCG Youth matter. Abby said “These kinds of programs give students access to materials, to mentorship, to opportunities that aren’t available in school. These opportunities give the students space to experiment, to fail, to grow, and discover who they are.”
Meanwhile, her own work has continued to evolve. Abby is currently developing a historical reconstruction project, designing and creating what the Queen of Hearts might have actually worn when Alice in Wonderland was first published. The work reflects what inspires her most: nature, especially color, and history. Abby enjoys blending elements from different time periods, capturing the feeling of an era while making it her own.
Today, Abby sees art as more than something she does, it’s how she understands the world. It shapes how she observes, thinks, and expresses herself. She plans to pursue formal art education with a focus on ceramics and building a career from there.
That’s why she believes programs like MCG Youth matter. “These kinds of programs give students access to materials, to mentorship, to opportunities that aren’t available in school” Abby says. “These opportunities give the students space to experiment, to fail, to grow, and discover who they are.”
Abby did. And she’s just getting started.