Dressed for Success: Campus Closet Supports Le Moyne’s Future Professionals

Devon Higgins ‘18 remembers well what it is like to be a college student preparing to enter the workforce for the first time – attending career fairs, interviewing for jobs, and setting up informal coffees to network with others in her field. Higgins also recalls the expense that can be associated with purchasing attire for those events. A research scientist specializing in emerging technologies at INFICON, she remains connected to the College as an adjunct professor of chemistry at Le Moyne.

 Higgins was aware that the College’s Office of Career Advising and Development had recently established a Career Closet in which students could access donated professional clothing and accessories at no cost to them. One day Higgins was preparing for a move, cleaning out her own closet and setting aside things donate, when a thought occurred to her: Her colleagues at INFICON certainly had jackets, slacks, dresses, shoes and more that they were no longer using but that would be extremely helpful to a college student or soon-to-be college graduate. Perhaps she could arrange a clothing and accessory drive at INFICON to support Le Moyne’s Career Closet. 

 Higgins pitched the idea to Chelsey Taylor ‘12, a human resource generalist at INFICON, and the company’s leadership team, and they were enthusiastic about the prospect of supporting Le Moyne in this way. Both Higgins and Taylor are members of INFICON’s Early Careers Committee. They advertised the drive, established a drop-off location at INFICON’s offices, and organized the donations and transferred them to Le Moyne, where Aaliyah Ford, inclusion career adviser, said she is certain that they will go to good use.

 Ford has seen the Career Closet grow over the years and has been touched by the alumni and faculty and staff members who have donated to it. What’s more, she says, she has seen students go into job interviews or career fairs more confident thanks to something they picked out at the Career Closet. As more and more students become aware of this resource, the need for generous donations like the one provided by the team at INFICON becomes more and more important.

 Taylor said that she is proud to work for an organization that values initiatives like this one.

“Giving back to the community is part of the culture here,” she said. “It’s built into all of the employees and, when someone has an idea of a way we can help or serve others, they’re ready to pitch in any way that they can.” 

For her part, Higgins said that giving back is something that has been important to her since she was a student at Le Moyne, where they served as an orientation leader and organic chemistry tutor.