The context
Where the work begins
A rack of donated clothes can make a teaching practicum feel more manageable. OISE staff members Alex Merrick and Mairi McKenna Edwards developed the Career Closet after discussing students' needs, including the cost of suitable clothing. Its first session, held during the spring 2024 career fair, drew more than 100 students.
The takeaway
What follows
The initiative now has a permanent space on OISE's 12th floor, with sessions scheduled around practicums, conferences and career fairs. Students from all three U of T campuses can visit, subject to an item limit. Volunteers sort donations and help visitors find clothes that fit; guidance has also covered alterations and dressing nonbinary bodies.
Source reporting
A teaching wardrobe with another life
Michelle Bojcun/OISE · September 18, 2026
Read the original reportingOriginal summary by Alumni Digest. Based on public source reporting. This independent publication is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Toronto.
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