Approximately 300 students gathered in the Multipurpose Room for the Career Center’s annual Career Closet on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Students went home with professional outfits free of cost.
The clothing items were donated to the Career Center via a clothing drive held until mid-February. Volunteers later organized the clothing into categories. CBS reporter Vanessa Murdock reported on the event for that evening’s news, and on Twitter she called the Career Closet a “great event for our future.”
The event’s organizers also aimed to provide an assortment of clothing that would encompass all sizes and gender identities. The Career Closet was open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the first 100 attendees were given a Career Center tote bag.
This year marks just the second year the event has been held at Hofstra University, though other universities have been organizing similar events for years with the aim of alleviating costs associated with purchasing formal attire for professional purposes.
“I’m really glad the Career Center organizes this event,” said Gopal Khandelwal, a junior political science major who paid the Career Closet a visit earlier in the day. “It’s well-attended and also addresses an often overlooked need.”
Makeshift dressing rooms with black curtains were installed in the back of the Multipurpose Room. These rooms had waiting lines of five or six students at any given time, as students of all class years and majors waited to try on attire.
“[The Career Closet] was developed to support our students as they prepare to interview for internships and other employment opportunities,” said Michelle Kyriakides, executive director of the Career Center. “We are committed to supporting the full student experience, and this event helps to ensure that all students have access to the professional attire they will need to take the next step in their careers.”
The event was free to attend for all Hofstra students. After swiping their IDs, students were able to look around for items as they pleased. A checkout counter was set up at the back of the venue where volunteers bagged students’ selections.
“We spent weeks gathering clothes, separating them by size, boxing them and preparing them for transportation to the other side of campus,” said Averee Dovsek, a sophomore journalism major and student volunteer. “Our goal was to assist students who might benefit from this clothing in a professional environment.”
