Campus Closet: UNB’s Free Business Attire Program
If you want to be a lawyer, you must dress like a lawyer. Among the added costs of being a student is transitioning your wardrobe to cater to the dress codes of your future career. For many students, this added cost can be a barrier to their success.
“We know [students] face barriers, financial and otherwise, in obtaining this type of career specific attire” said Peyton Juhnke, a second-year student at the University of New Brunswick’s Renaissance College.
Over the summer, during an internship in the Office of Experiential Education, Juhnke was tasked with researching clothing programs. While looking at model programs at other universities she thought: “I think UNB could probably do something like this.”
In September, Juhnke submitted a proposal for her work-study program and launched the Campus Closet, a space for UNB students to get access to free business attire.
“Business attire has been linked to your self-concept, your perception in the workplace, and ultimately how you can perform in your job,” said Juhnke.
The closet, a little more than 25 square feet of space, is located in the basement of the Wu Conference Centre beside a restroom, making it easy for students to try on clothes. Though finding space on campus can be difficult, Juhnke says the process was a little easier since she was only looking for a closet.
The service, which is only available to UNB students, launched on November 19 and it allows students to book a confidential appointment on the closet website.
“From the appointment booking form that they fill out I’ll have information such as what sizes they are, what kinds of clothing they are looking for, whether this is for an interview, a conference, a job,” said Juhnke.
With the information from the form, Juhnke will select a variety of clothes for the student to try on at the appointment. The closet currently has men’s and women’s clothes and shoes but Juhnke says choosing gender specific clothing is optional. “This space is open and welcoming to everyone, it doesn’t matter how you identify.”
Sizes range from 0 to 3x. While the closet space is small, Juhnke says there are external spaces where more clothing is stored so if a student is in need of a size that is scarce, Juhnke can pull clothes from storage.
“I have been pleasantly surprised by the UNB community and greater Fredericton community,” said Juhnke. “We have received donations consistently since announcing that we were going to start collecting in October.”
Currently, Juhnke is running the campus closet by herself, but she says one of her goals is to determine how to keep the program running long-term, “whether it’s going to become a student union club or whether a specific faculty is going to house it.”
Juhnke said she never intended the program to be something that she did by herself and left with her after graduation.
“I always wanted it to be a more long–term, sustainable thing for students.”
