If you need to look professional for an interview, but don't own a suit, USC now has a solution.
This morning at the Blatt P.E. Center, the Carolina Closet program had its ribbon-cutting ceremony, opening a new support facility for students in active career searches.
According to the SGA website, the Carolina Closet is “an exclusive professional attire rental program available to all UofSC students.”
Currently, the Carolina Closet is open on Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Blatt equipment check-out desk. No payment is required — just remember to bring your CarolinaCard.
For myriad reasons, many USC students simply lack the means to acquire or access the professional attire they need for their job and internship interviews — Carolina Closet aims to provide those students the clothing that they need to succeed.
In the making for almost two years now, the Carolina Closet was one of the initiatives that former Student Body President Lindsay Richardson ran on during her election campaign last year.
“It had a lot of problems, but it was something I really wanted to see done, so I put it on my platform, hammered it out and tried to see it done this year,” Richardson said.
So far, the program seems to working smoothly, although Richardson explained today as a “soft opening on a work-in-progress.”
“You try to think of everything before-hand but you don’t know what will arise when people actually start using [Carolina Closet].” Richardson said.
Moving forward, plans are in motion to find a more campus-central location are, as well as developing a partnership with the Career Center.
On top of the continued partnership with organizations like Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, there are also talks of a potential cooperation with some big-name retailers that would donate clothing to further expand Carolina Closet’s inventory and capabilities.
For day one, Richardson is pleased with the community response so far.
“The response we’ve had from the Carolina community has been amazing. So many faculty and students have been willing to donate and get involved, and that makes me happy," she said. "I think it shows that the program is going to be very well-sustained and I’m excited to see post-graduation what this program will grow into and the impact that it will grow to have.”
Due to the nature of the soft opening, changes to the schedule can be found directly on the official SGA Facebook and Twitter pages.
Donations are also currently being taken from faculty, staff, students and businesses in Columbia. According to the SGA website, a “variety of styles and sizes of gently-used professional business attire and accessories are needed.”
Donations can be dropped-off at the Student Government Office in Russell House Suite 227.