University of Arkansas at Little Rock officials are taking a step to further prepare students for the next phase of their lives.

Among the challenges: Some students might find it difficult to afford attire for interviews, while others might be misinformed about appropriate dress for meeting with potential employers or graduate school admission boards.

To help, UALR is establishing the Trojan Career Closet, an initiative that will help students starting in the spring.

 “I remember being a senior – I couldn’t afford a suit. I had to get money from my parents,” said Carmen Robinson, assistant dean of Student Services at the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences and the founder of Trojan Career Closet.

“A lot of the times, our students don’t know how to properly dress, and if they do, it’s expensive,” Robinson said.

To get involved, employees and students can drop off gently used professional clothing in Administration North until spring break.

Robinson also encourages donations of briefcases and totes, but shoes and socks will not be accepted.

The closet was created with the help of the Division of Student Affairs, the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences, and the College of Education and Health Professions.

The first-ever UALR Health Professions Graduate and Career Fair will be held on April 4 after the Trojan Career Closet to allow students to wear their newly acquired professional clothing to meet potential employers.

In the month of March, several career-focused events and professional development workshops will lead up to the opening of Trojan Career Closet. Some of the subjects covered will be email etiquette, what to do during and after an interview, resumes, and how to dress for interviews.

The closet will open its doors on March 23 to April 3 in the Leadership Lounge in Donaghey Student Center’s upper concourse.

Students must attend a professional development workshop in order to receive clothing.

When a student attends, the participant will receive a ticket that they can exchange for one outfit in the Trojan Career Closet.

“It was something I felt like we should be doing for our students,” Robinson said.