Zach Morris

Zachary Morris, Chair of Triton College’s Barber Program, discovered his passion for haircutting at a young age.

“I remember going to the hairdresser with my mom and watching the cosmetologist or barber cut hair,” he said. “I started cutting my own hair my junior year of high school.”

Morris took that passion to a career, earning his barbering license from Larry’s Barber College in Chicago.

After several years working in the field, a conversation with his godfather sparked a new perspective. He began asking me whether barbering would still suit me as I got older and how the physical demands might impact my body over time, Morris recalled.

Motivated by that conversation, Morris decided to pursue a career in education. He earned his barbering instructor certificate from Briar Cliff University and began teaching at the Cook County Department of Corrections.

“I was an instructor there for two years. My oldest student was in his 50s,” said Morris.

Now with 16 years of experience in barbering and education, Morris joined Triton College in 2024. The college’s barber facility, located in the H Building, offers a state-of-the-art learning environment that simulates a real-world barbershop. The barber lab will soon move to the M Building, where it will be part of a newly expanded, cutting-edge learning facility that also includes the Cosmetology program.

Morris is known for bringing a positive and upbeat, student-focused approach to his classroom.

“Class is always lighthearted,” he said. “It’s really about the students, because this is their experience and it’s my job to help facilitate that.”

Under Morris’ leadership, students receive comprehensive training that covers all aspects of the barber profession, including anatomy, electricity, infection control, business management, haircutting, skincare and electrotherapy. For Morris, the qualities of a great barber is someone who’s reliable, dependable, trustworthy and has integrity about their work.

“I hold students accountable,” he explained. “I want them to have the tools and the foundation to succeed.”

Outside the classroom, Morris is continuing his own education. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university, majoring in education with a minor in African American studies.

“I want to be better equipped for this job and to handle the capacity of a program coordinator,” he said. “The community and the students at Triton are second to none.”

Information about Triton’s Barber Certificate Program is available at triton.edu/barber.