Wayne State University will be hosting its annual Professional Clothing Drive from Sept. 16 through Oct. 7, allowing members of the community to donate gently used professional clothing and shoes for college students.
The Career Closing Campaign was launched in 2019 to provide WSC students with immediate access to free career closings. Laura Dendinger is an FBLA faculty sponsor on campus. She says many donors have donated closings to help make their dreams come true.
“We want to reduce the experimentation of job hunting,” Dendinger said. “The cost of job hunting attire is one of the reasons some students don’t feel confident and prepared for career fairs and potential job interviews.”
On October 9th, WSC will host a career fair where students can meet with potential employers and learn more about their careers from local businesses.
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The idea for the project was originally a career fashion show to start a clothing collection drive, and Dendinger said she wanted to show students that there are options in Wayne to shop at affordable retail and thrift store prices.
“The following semester, COVID hit so we did a virtual fashion show to continue collecting clothes,” Dendinger said.
When school returned to normal the following year, the group hosted its first successful pop-up, the Career Clothing Closet, at the WSC Food Pantry.
“The following year, we expanded our efforts and moved the effort into classrooms in Gardner Hall, providing a space for students to try on the items,” Dendinger said.
The group is based in Ben Sac and will be displaying donated clothing and accessories all year round, with plans to open a store before the job fair.
Heidi Taylor was last year’s chair and was enthusiastic about the project.
“We were determined to help as many students as we could with this project,” Taylor said. “Not all students wear business attire, and in job interviews, first impressions can set the tone for the entire interview and event, so this is a very impactful program.”
Taylor said seeing the smiles on students’ faces has made all the hard work worth it, and she hopes to make it easier for everyone to come when the group hosts pop-up events later in the semester.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Taylor says. “It’s super casual and fun. There will be music playing in the background, snacks available, FBLA members will help you pick out items if you like, and it’s all completely free.”
Donation boxes have been placed at the following locations around Wayne: Micah’s Closet, State Nebraska Bank, WSC Financial Services in Hearn, Hermann Chiropractic and the School of Business and Technology in Gardner Hall.
