Alumni Digest.

Community · Alumni Digest original

A teaching wardrobe with another life

OISE's Career Closet helps students dress for practicums and interviews with donated clothing, shared advice and a permanent campus home. Published in Alumni Digest as verified reporting from the University of Toronto.

OISE's Career Closet helps students dress for practicums and interviews with donated clothing, shared advice and a permanent campus home.

In the September issue
two women looking through a rack of clothing
OISE community members browse donated clothing at the Career Closet. Photo: Michelle Bojcun/OISE. Source image retained for editorial review; rights clearance is still required before any broader reuse.

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.

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