Interviewing for a Job? Students Can Apply for Free Professional Attire Stipend

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A student goes through a rack of clothing at the Career Center's Clothes Closet.
Students have access to free professional attire and stylists from the Cal Poly Pomona Career Center’s Clothes Closet.

Students in need of professional attire for job interviews, professional meetings or internships can now apply for a free stipend — an Amazon gift card — through the Clothes Closet at the Career Center.

The application process is easy. Students should fill out a Basic Needs application and choose “Clothes Closet Stipend” as their requested service. Eligible students can receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Additionally, they can receive a free styling session from Clothes Closet interns, who are current students in the apparel and merchandising management program at Cal Poly Pomona.

As the Clothes Closet geared up to celebrate its tenth anniversary this year, the pandemic brought a sudden halt to the in-person boutique experience. For Cheryl Love, coordinator of the Clothes Closet and career counselor, this meant developing a new way to support students seeking professional clothing for virtual interviews, networking events or meetings.

“Just as students struggle with housing and food, they struggle with clothing needs too. It is a basic need,” Love said. “We immediately recognized that students still need help, so we asked, ‘What can we do?’ I’ve always said the Clothes Closet is not just a boutique. We do workshops, fundraisers — we can pivot in this virtual world.”

Funding for the new program was made possible by two donors, allowing for a total of 70 stipends in the early stages of the initiative. The Clothes Closet organizers hope future donations can continue supporting the stipend when the campus returns to in-person learning.

Donors interested in supporting the Clothes Closet stipend can give online, or contact Krista Spangler, director for development in Student Affairs, at 909-869-4450 or klspangler@cpp.edu.

“To say ‘thank you’ for this support feels like an understatement, given the challenges we’re all facing right now,” Spangler said. “It is greatly appreciated; donations mean a great deal to the students who need resources through the Clothes Closet.”

For more information about the Clothes Closet stipend, visit the Career Center website.