Derek Robinson has officially earned one of the highest honors a cosmetology student can achieve.

The Nurtur Aveda Institute Columbus student has been named the 2026 Student Hairstylist of the Year at the Professional Beauty Association’s North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA).

NAHA is one of the most prestigious competitions in the professional beauty industry, recognizing exceptional artistry, creativity and technical skill from talented artists across North America. For a student still at the beginning of their career, earning a NAHA title is an extraordinary accomplishment.

Derek was selected as one of just five finalists for Student Hairstylist of the Year before ultimately taking home the top honor.

The Student Hairstylist of the Year competition challenges emerging artists to demonstrate skills across a wide range of techniques. Competitors create a collection of three distinct looks demonstrating their ability to work with long and short hair, cutting, color, texture and up-styling.

Finalists and winners are selected through NAHA’s rigorous three-round blind judging process, with industry experts evaluating each collection based on technical skill, creativity and overall presentation.

Derek’s winning collection earned him the title of 2026 NAHA Student Hairstylist of the Year, placing his work alongside some of the best emerging talent in the professional beauty industry.

His accomplishment is also an exciting example of what can happen when technical education meets creativity, ambition and the willingness to push beyond the classroom.

We couldn’t be prouder to have Derek represent Nurtur Aveda Institute Columbus on one of the biggest stages in professional beauty.

Congratulations, Derek. We can’t wait to see what you create next.