UL Lafayette Career Services is partnering with the UL Lafayette Alumni Association and The 705 to collect inventory for The Career Closet.
The Career Closet provides students with free, gently used professional clothing items for interviews, career fairs, and other professional networking events.
“College is more expensive than it ever has been so offering them that opportunity to not have to worry about what they’re going to wear and how they’re going to pay for it was really important to us,” said Megan Sistrunk, Assistant Director of Career Services.
Senior Industrial Technology major Kelsey Brown was able to find her job interview look in the Career Closet.
“You see exactly what interviewees would like to see you wear so you have all the selections there for you,” said Brown.
With just two days to spare, she made the cut. “It’s just easier to choose you have this right here. I have these options, and this is what I should do,” she added.
Career Services witnessed the Career Closet closet l-self esteem and building confidence. “I mean you saw her shoulders push back, she stood a litter taller, she smiled,” said Dee Dee Mccoy, Associate Director of Career Services.
Many items in the closet are name-brand or gently used. “They’re making investments in their professional clothing right here at Career Services,” Mccoy added.
Various items fill the closet, but organizers are still in need of more pieces.
Officials are seeking the assistance of established professionals within the UL Lafayette and Acadiana communities to donate any gently-used professional clothing items they may have.
“The biggest thing a lot of students ask for is for is suits. Interviewers like to see the full business suits and that’s a lot of things we don’t necessarily have,” said Samantha Trail, Graduate Assistant for Career Services.
Items needed include: pantsuits, skirt suits, blazers, sports coats, blouses, dress shirts, skirts, slacks, ties, belts, shoes, and hangers. Items of neutral color (black, grey, navy, brown, and white) and within current fashion trends are preferred.
“They go into an interview knowing that they just have to worry about their first impression and so much their appearance,” said Sintrunk.
Two drop-off events one on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and another on Thursday, July 26, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both at The Alumni Center Circular Drive located at 600 East. St. Mary Blvd.
