TWU Career Connections to open boutique
February 23, 2024 — Denton — Texas Woman’s students in need of professional clothing will soon have a new place to “shop.” The TWU Career Connections Center, in partnership with the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership (JNIWL) Center for Student Leadership, is working on a new career boutique that will cater to students’ needs.
The program, modeled after Dress for Success Dallas, provides students with professional business attire for career-related activities, including interviews, career fairs, conferences, networking events and class presentations.
Students interested in participating must request a “career boutique styling appointment” through Handshake. A stylist will pre-select two or three outfits based on responses to the intake form and then meet with the student for try-on and styling. Each student will leave the appointment with one complete, professional outfit, including accessories.
According to Aimee Laun, director of the Career Connections Center, several universities offer similar services and have had great success. “Business professional attire is expensive and usually an unexpected cost for a college student so the boutique removes the barrier of having the money to purchase a high-quality suit and the stress of knowing where to start in putting together a professional outfit.”
The boutique plans to host a soft opening in late March with a grand opening in the fall. Eventually, when the remodel of Brackenridge Hall is complete in 2025, the new Career Connections Center will house the boutique, making it more visible and accessible to students.
In the meantime, the center is seeking donations for gently worn clothing, particularly women’s business suits suitable for job interviews. Anyone interested in donating clothing may do so at the center, located in Woodcock Hall, suite 200, during normal working hours. All donations must be clean, hung, clearly labeled by size, damage-free, gently used, new or like new. They are particularly in need of contemporary and modern suits, blazers, dresses, shirts, blouses, skirts, belts, suspenders and neckties. Donations that do not meet their standards will be donated to a local charity. Monetary donations to the Career Connections Support Fund are also welcome.
“We want to empower students with the self-confidence and professionalism they need to succeed,” said Laun, “and this boutique is one of the most tangible ways we can truly make a difference.”
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Page last updated 10:06 AM, July 30, 2024