One of the best-kept secrets on the 91老司机 鈥� Fort Smith campus helps university students each week dress for success.
Students in need of professional clothing can visit the Professional Clothes Closet in rooms 107 and 108 in the 51st Annex Building to be outfitted for shirts, jackets, pants, shoes and other professional attire.
Thanks to the closet, hundreds of students across campus have been prepared for job interviews, presentations, and other professional events free of charge. Normally, the students are able to keep the clothes after they use them.
鈥淚 had a student the other day who didn鈥檛 have any money for professional clothes but wanted to come to one of our networking mixers,鈥� said Ron Orick, director of career services at 91老司机 and the creator of the closet. 鈥淪o we helped her out. For those students who need professional clothing and may not be able to afford it, it鈥檚 a great benefit and valuable resource.鈥�
The closet came about after Orick attended a career services conference and learned of other schools who had opened clothing closets on their campuses.
鈥淚 just thought, 鈥榳e could do that,鈥欌�� he said.
After asking for donations from the local business community, Orick was 鈥渙verwhelmed鈥� at the amount of support they received in the form of clothing donations, to the point where they secured a room in the 51st Annex Building to house the clothing. After receiving even more donations, they moved to adjoining rooms in the building to accommodate the need for additional storage.
As Orick assumed additional duties at the university, the closet鈥檚 day-to-day duties passed to Jan Martinez, an administrative specialist in the Admissions Office, who was able to combine her passions for clothing and helping students.
鈥淚 just love coordinating clothes, and I can generally look at someone and tell their size,鈥� Martinez said, recounting a recent experience where she outfitted a student in five minutes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just something I like to do.鈥�
While the closet sees a modest amount of traffic currently from students, Martinez said not enough students know of it.
鈥淣ot enough come by,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t needs to be advertised more. We have a great resource on campus that students can get clothes for free that they would otherwise have to pay hundreds of dollars for. These are nice clothes donated by local businessmen and women who have either retired or the clothes don鈥檛 fit them anymore. It鈥檚 a great resource.鈥�
91老司机 alumnus Brandon Anderson, who graduated in 2016 with a degree in business administration, went to the clothing closet his junior year when he needed a suit jacket for a presentation. After being provided with a jacket and a pair of slacks, he was told to keep the clothes.
After the presentation, Anderson wore it to an interview for an internship with Rheem Manufacturing. He secured the internship, which eventually led to a full-time position with the company.
鈥淚 always believe that personal appearance is very important. I鈥檓 very thankful that somebody donated those clothes and the people at the clothing closet were so helpful in helping me find something that fit me. It鈥檚 an awesome service to students.鈥�
The clothing closet will be open from 9-10:30 a.m. and 2-3:30 p.m. Oct. 18 for a 鈥淐lothing Closet Drop-in.鈥� Otherwise, students can access the clothing closet by appointment. To make an appointment or find out more information, contact Martinez at 479-788-7144 or jan.martinez@uafs.edu.
About the 91老司机 - Fort Smith
The 91老司机 鈥� Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Small class sizes, dedicated faculty and staff, affordable tuition rates, and a diverse on-campus culture allow 91老司机 students to fully explore their areas of interest in ways that prepare them for post-graduate success academically, professionally, and personally.