PNW operates two closets, in the university’s Hammond and Westville Career Centers, where students can pick up business attire appropriate for interviews with prospective employers.
“Any PNW student is able to walk-in,” said Joelynn Stephen, director of Career Services. “If … [students] tell us they need to dress professionally, we let them browse the Career Closet.
“The Career Closet is … a resource for students where they can … pick out professional clothing,” she said. “They are able to use those for interviews, networking and events. They can keep the clothes free of charge.”
Though the closets have been available for several years, Stephen said she suspects that less than 10% of students have used the service.
Mackenzie Hodges, a sophomore majoring in Behavioral Science, did not know PNW had a Career Center.
“I’m not really involved with school. I just want to get my degree and get out,” said Hodges. “Now that I [know about it], I will [use it].”
Hodges recently had to scramble to assemble a professional outfit for a school presentation.
“I didn’t go out and buy anything, but I had to ask … for a shirt and sweater, I had to find a nice pair of shoes,” she said. “It added a little more stress because I wasn’t fully prepared.”
Other students may be aware of the Career Center. As a teaching assistant, Lillian Knapik, a graduate Communication student, often recommended Career Center services to her students. But she never was in need of them herself.
“I haven’t had a problem dressing professionally, but I was lucky,” she said “I had a support system.”
Stephen said the closet is designed to help students who are too busy or can’t afford to shop for a professional wardrobe.
“Some students … can’t afford it. Some don’t have time to go to the store,” she said. “Maybe they just need ideas of what professional clothing looks like.”
Stephen said the Closet has clothes of all sizes, though not all items are available in all sizes. The Career Center is currently organizing the Closet to weed out and donate out-of-date clothing.
“If anyone is in need, please swing by,” she said. “We want more students to use the resource.”
The Career Center is in SULB 349 in Hammond and TECH 157 in Westville.