Clothes closet offers students professional clothing

Students can now visit the Career Closet to find professional clothing for job interviews and internships. According to Lauren Cole, the coordinator of Career Services, students can go to the Career Closet and take home three pieces of professional clothing for free, easing the financial burden of buying expensive professional clothing for job interviews and internships. “A lot of students are just making it work to get by,” said Hal Fulmer, the dean of undergraduate studies. “I think for a lot of us that went to school, we have very functional clothing. “But then you make that transition (to a professional career), and you need some help.” Emily Reiss, a career counselor, explained that Career Services held a soft opening for the Career Closet in the spring, but decided to make it bigger after seeing the demand for it. “We just found the need for students to have professional dress items,” Reiss said. “Some students can’t afford it, or they just don’t want to buy it early in their career, so we wanted to be able to provide an option for them to have ways to dress professionally. “The students loved it, so we wanted to expand and make it even better for them.” To take advantage of the Career Closet, students should watch their emails for times when the closet is open to all students in Bibb Graves 329. Students can also email or call Career Services at (334) 566-3920 to make an appointment. “We’re trying to make a difference for our students, and this is one of the ways we can make a difference,” Fulmer said. “First impressions are really important, and a great way to make a great impression is to dress professionally,” Reiss said. “We want students to represent themselves and Troy University well, and what better way to do that than to help them dress professionally?”