By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities students and staff recently celebrated the grand opening of the Crimson Career Closet — a new campus resource aimed at helping students look their best for their next professional opportunity. Jimena Delgado, Associated Students of WSU Tri-Cities senator for the Carson College of Business, along with a small delegation of campus representatives, commemorated the occasion during an official ribbon-cutting event on April 15.

The Crimson Career Closet, which is currently housed within the WSU Tri-Cities Career Center in the Consolidated Information Center, contains multiple racks of donated business attire — including dress shirts, blouses, pants, shoes, and more. The clothing items are free to take for any current WSU Tri-Cities student who might need them for an upcoming job interview, presentation, networking event, or other professional occasion.

WSU Tri-Cities student Jimena Delgado cuts the ribbon during an April 15 grand opening event to mark the launch of Crimson Career Closet.

Delgado, who spearheaded the months-long effort to create the Crimson Career Closet, says the idea for the new resource stemmed from the fact that many WSU Tri-Cities students are first-generation students with limited means and wardrobe options.

“Some people have clothing that their moms or their sisters let them borrow, but when you’re the first person to go to college, that’s something you might not have access to,” Delgado said. “Part of student government is expanding that equal access to students.”

Finding a suitable permanent location for the closet presented one early challenge, Delgado says, but when the Career Center hallway was presented as an option, it seemed like a clear match.

“People come in here for resume and interview advice, and we thought it would be fitting to have this resource as another part of their professional development,” Delgado said.

Having enough clothing items to launch the space was another challenge. Fortunately, a large drop-off donation from members of the H2Crew volunteer group, which is associated with Hanford Tank Operations & Closure (H2C), provided a huge boost.

“We actually had to order more racks for it, because it didn’t all fit, which is amazing,” Delgado said.

Any student who wishes to check out what’s available in the Crimson Career Closet is free to stop by the Career Center anytime during normal business hours — no appointment necessary. If students see anything they like, it’s theirs to take and keep.

“They get to keep it,” Delgado says. “Of course, they can donate it again if they don’t want it in the future.”

Though the closet had only just opened, Delgado could already count herself among its first beneficiaries — sporting a donated item for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“I couldn’t find anything to wear today, so this shirt that I’m wearing right now is from the closet,” she said.