After being closed all of Summer B, the UF Gator Career Closet will reopen in the renovated center at the start of Fall.
The closet is a space where students can borrow professional attire for interviews and networking. It was previously on the third floor of Peabody Hall and was part of the Dean of Students Office.
When the closet opens, it will be run by the Career Connections Center, formerly called the Career Resource Center. Staff is setting up inventory for the closet to be reopened August 22 on the ground floor entry of the Reitz Union.
The relocation of the closet, which was decided by the DSO and CCC early last Fall, is part of a bigger renovation of the center as a whole. The $10 million renovation has been funded by UF’s Capital Improvement Trust Fund.
In March, the center appointed its fourth permanent senior director for career services, Ja’Net Glover, who said the center took advantage of this pivotal time to make the changes.
“I think the move makes sense,” Glover said. “I see the ability for us at the career center to talk more about the importance of professional clothing and attire as it relates to students gaining a diverse array of professional experiences.”
Glover said students can look forward to a more diverse selection of styles and colors in the new closet as well as a separate entrance, allowing students to access the closet without coming into the center directly.
There will also be an option for students to check out pieces that are not displayed on-site through a catalogue.
Heather White, associate vice president at the DSO, said the old location will most likely be used as an additional workspace for students, and the new location felt like a better move.
“This is a very nice fit into what the Career Connections Center does,” White said. “I know that they are looking on making it part of their career coaching model and making it part of the holistic process for students for the career development process.”
White and Glover encourage students in need of business attire in the meantime to contact either the DSO or CCC for support.
Career Connections Center staff are renovating the new space for the Gator Career Closet. The new space will have a larger selection of business attire for students.
