By Amanda Berrios
The expenses of textbooks and dining can take a toll on students – throw in transportation costs for commuters and supplies for housing students, and it can add up for anyone. As a college education prepares students for their future careers, Dominican University offers support in more ways than one.
The Office of Career Programs and Employer Relations help take a load off of students with a program called the Suit Up Closet. The program is free for Dominican University students and provides professional attire needed for interviews, class projects, internships, and more.
The Suit Up Closet includes an assortment of gently used and dry-cleaned professional clothing, with even more stored in the annex, donated by members of the community, faculty, and staff. The closet also includes a photobooth for easy and accessible, self-administered headshots.
Executive in Residence, Kay Braymer Peterson, runs the closet and its inventory. With the closet initiative close to her heart, she’s passionate for students to find clothing that will give them confidence to be successful, “Dominican students are so talented, and they just need someone to be in their corner and be a point of reference. This to me is just another element of setting students up for success.”
Senior Accounting major, Giselle Hernandez, has been using the benefits of the closet since her sophomore year, “It’s a wonderful program that Dominican has. I would recommend it to all students, even if you’re not a business major.” She praises its utilization to update her LinkedIn profile and mock interviews telling us, “The Suit Up Closet was my one-stop shop for headshots and also just having clothes that I could utilize to present myself professionally.”
No matter your numeral size or gender, the Suit Up Closet has something every student can benefit from. Located in Lewis Hall, Room 225, students are welcome to visit Monday-Thursday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM and Fridays from 8:30AM until 4:30PM.
With an assortment of clothing displayed, do not fret if you do not find anything you think is suitable. Students are encouraged to reach out to Jennifer Kidd or Kay Braymer Peterson with concerns, as many more options are available in the annex. Questions can be directed to toktpeterson@dom.edu using your DU email address or by visiting The Office of Career Programs, located in Lewis Hall on the second floor.
abarrios@my.dom.edu
