The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. to mark the grand opening of its new Career Closet, located in Chambers Hall 218.
The Career Closet is designed to loan professional attire to Pitt-Greensburg students and alumni who are engaged in career-related pursuits.
“We saw an opportunity to add another resource for our students,” explained Dorothy Zilic, director of Career Services. “Suits and professional attire can be expensive, and it is essential for students to be confident in themselves and their appearance as they interview for jobs and internships.”
The Pitt-Greensburg Career Closet builds on the resources already in place, augmenting community programs and career-preparation opportunities, like the YWCA Thrift Shop that students are encouraged to use as a means to find suitable clothing for job interviews. The Career Services staff also partners with JC Penney (Westmoreland Mall location) and other local colleges to bring the Suit-Up program to Pitt-Greensburg students and alumni each year.
“Our students are excited to have this resource,” said Marcy Yonkey, assistant director of Career Services, who was responsible for developing the idea and stocking the clothes.
The Closet was built from donations of new or lightly-loved-and-laundered clothing. Suits, shirts, pants, blazers, jackets, tops, skirts, and accessories (no shoes) are ready to be loaned. Items not selected for inventory were donated to a local charity.
The lending process is easy and helps students to be interview-ready, too. The student schedules an appointment with Career Services at least 48 hours before their interview. They have to prepare and submit a digital draft of their resume for feedback in order to borrow the clothing. Then the student stops by the Career Services office to sign out the clothing for an agreed-upon timeframe. Returned items are laundered or sent to dry cleaning to be ready for the next student.
“The campus community responded to our idea, and we want to express our appreciation to Pitt-Greensburg faculty, staff, and students who assisted us in this endeavor,” said Zilic. “We especially would like to thank the Office of Student Life & Success, the Blue Scholar interns, the Student Government Association, the Mathematics Department, and the Department of Facilities Maintenance.”
The Career Closet is just one of the wide variety of assets available to students through Pitt-Greensburg’s Career Services. These assets include one-on-one appointments and workshops that provide opportunities for networking, as well as helping students explore their passions, skills, and values in relation to their career choices. They also help students develop strategies to achieve their goals.
“We provide help with career guidance, internship planning, graduate school preparation, and job shadowing,” said Zilic. “We also work with students to develop their resumes and cover letters.”