No Fit Check Needed: Students Shop Free At Southern's 'Career Closet'

From Southern Connecticut State University:

NEW HAVEN, CT — A group of visionary student leaders is addressing a critical yet often overlooked barrier to career advancement: access to professional attire.

The Career Closet — a collaborative effort initiated by students in SCSU’s Gold Leadership Program, in partnership with the Office of Career and Professional Development, Buley Library, SAGE Center, and the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development — provides students with free access to professional clothing for job interviews, internships, and networking events. Each student can select up to three items at no cost, ensuring they can approach professional opportunities with confidence, regardless of financial constraints.

Jordan Cervantes was one of the students leading the project. He said the idea came about after he and his classmates conducted a survey that showed the demand for professional clothing.

"We identified that this is something that students are really interested in, something that they really need," Cervantes said.

"I feel like we’re in the era of fast fashion where clothes are made with less quality than they have been before, so people donating their older clothes tend to be better quality, they last longer," graduate student Romeo Rivera said.

Rachel Cunningham-Exavier, assistant director of experiential learning with the Office of Career and Professional Development, said they are looking forward to expanding the initiative.

"We’re going to ask our community partners and internal community to donate professional clothing and monetarily so we can continue this work and even make it greater," Cunningham-Exavier said.

The Support, Opportunities, Access and Resiliency (SOAR) Fund, which helps fund initiatives such as the Career Closet, raised over $34,000 during this April’s Day of Caring, ensuring students are equipped with reliance, knowledge, and action to live healthy lives at Southern and beyond.

Pictured are: Thierry Thesatus, associate dean of Career and Student Success; Rachel Cunningham-Exavier, assistant director, Office of Career and Professional Development; Parker Fruehan, Library Services; students Jordan Cervantes and Romeo Rivera from the Gold Leadership Program; Aimee O'Shea, associate director, Office of Career and Professional Development; Patti Moran, assistant director of External Relations, Office of Career and Professional Development; and Sharon Lovett Graff, adjunct librarian, Library Services