MCC Alumna Leaving Her Mark on Hollywood as Makeup Artist

From Tyngsboro, Middlesex Community College alumna Madeleine Sword has always had a passion for makeup. Although she was warned she would not succeed, she moved to Los Angeles in 2022 to pursue her makeup career in the entertainment industry. Thus far, her work has been featured on billboards in Times Square, red carpets for the Oscars and Emmys, and on various films and television shows.

“I used to dream about all of these things,” Sword said. “Some of them were just as sweet as I imagined they would be, some of them were not as glamorous as one may think. The road to where I am now was not easy, but that’s kind of part of being an artist. I do it because it’s my passion. The best parts of my work are getting to meet amazing people, having incredibly unique experiences, and helping people feel good about themselves.”

Since moving to LA, Sword has expanded on her eight years of experience in the field. Some of her recent credits include working as the Key Makeup Artist on a Lifetime film and as the Makeup Department Head for a film coming out soon on a major streaming platform. She has also gotten to see her name roll on the credits for a movie – a moment that brought her to tears.

In addition to an associate degree in business administration from MCC, Sword earned a bachelor’s in marketing and management at UMass Lowell and a license to understand the science of skin at an esthetics school. The variety of classes Middlesex offered helped her develop skills for her career, including accounting, finance and marketing.

“It definitely served me well for when I decided to run my own business as a freelance makeup artist,” she said. “[At MCC,] I was a full-time student, and I liked the flexibility of being able to create a schedule that would allow me to work when I wasn’t in school. It also put my mind at ease that there is a program with UML that allowed all my credits to seamlessly transfer over.”

Sword also benefitted from taking elective courses at MCC that made her more well-rounded and prepared for her career. Art history and forensic science courses allowed her to enjoy interests outside of her current profession, while a film and television course taught her about camera angles, lighting, and continuity for the first time.

At Middlesex, professors, such as Dr. Jennifer Bauer, MCC’s Chair of Communication, Art and Design, helped shape her academic path. Sword also believes she saved thousands of dollars in loans by attending the community college, while still getting a quality education. These teachings – as well as the environment MCC provided – combined to make her overall experience at the college “great.”

“The student body was very diverse and brought people of all different backgrounds and stages of life together, which I really enjoyed,” she said. “I couldn’t be more content with my choice to go to MCC.”

Whether in her academic career or throughout her professional journey, Sword has worked hard to find success. She has done makeup for photoshoots and fashion shows, as well as special events that were big moments in her clients’ lives. One moment in particular that stands out is helping a young girl on the day of her graduation.

“The happiness and confidence that radiated within her made a lasting impression on me,” Sword said. “From then on, I understood what my passion and skills could do for other people. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to."