Thanks to plenty of quality donations and a whole lot of collaboration, nearly 50 Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) students are professionally outfitted from head to toe so they can walk into a job or internship interview with all the confidence in the world. And it didn’t cost them a dime.
EMCC asked Dress for Success Phoenix to bring its mobile boutique, brimming with free professional attire, to the main campus on April 9 to help students succeed outside the classroom without breaking the bank.
“The event was incredibly successful,” said Grace Kirker, Project Manager for EMCC’s Center for Workforce Development and Experiential Learning, which co-hosted the event with the EMCC Career and Transfer Center. “Students felt empowered and excited. The best part was seeing students light up when they found a look that made them feel confident.”
Dress for Success’ mission is to help people achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help them thrive in work and life. The organization has been around since 1997 and has more than 130 offices worldwide. The Phoenix location opened in 2009 and receives its new and gently used clothing from donations, thoughtfully curating each piece to ensure it’s in excellent condition and fashion.
“We want to make sure it’s top quality for our clients,” said Elizabeth Pulido, Dress for Success Phoenix’s Mobile Division and Community Outreach Manager and a former client.
Students were invited, two at a time, to step into the mobile wardrobe complete with two posh changing rooms and a team of stylists to help them choose the perfect outfit.
“Some of the students had never been outfitted in professional attire, so having a stylist available to provide insight on fit, professionalism, and sizing made all the difference,” Kirker said.
Pulido said the mobile unit was intentionally designed with an elegant atmosphere to help clients feel empowered.
“We want them to feel elevated from the moment they walk in,” she said.
Dress for Success is open to anyone. No income requirements are necessary to take advantage of its services. In addition to providing free professional attire, the Phoenix location also offers job search support, job retention programming, and financial and digital literacy training. Services include one-on-one career coaching, mock interviewing, and networking in a supportive environment; and getting paired with staff members to create resumes and cover letters, conduct mock interviews, and take advantage of a professional skills training course. This makes it a great option for people unable to make it to the EMCC Campus to take advantage of similar services through EMCC’s Career and Transfer Center.
Students who took advantage of the mobile service on April 9 also received a bag of toiletries and an invitation to go to the Phoenix location and pick out an entire week’s worth of clothing once they land the job or internship.
Kirker is excited to have Dress for Success come back to EMCC later this year.
“We do plan to have Dress for Success come out again and are already in conversations about dates for fall 2025,” she said. “Stay tuned!”