With spring job fairs on the horizon, the Towson University Career Center has started accepting donations for new or gently used suits for males and females.

These suits will be free of charge to all University students. The premise behind the drive is that students will have more professional clothing when they go to interviews and job fairs as well, according to Savina Wiggins, student employment coordinator for the Career Center.

Wiggins said that the idea began during a staff meeting when discussing ways to encourage students to wear professional attire for interviews.

“We were throwing out ideas and I said ‘let’s collect suits from faculty and alums and offer them to students free of charge and see what happens.’ I just kind of put the wheels in motion to make it happen,” Wiggins said.

Wiggins said there are two agendas for running the suit drive. The first is for students to learn the importance of wearing a business suit and the other is to help students who aren’t able to afford suits of their own.

Senior deaf studies major Michele Passman said the better dressed you are, the more likely you are to find a job.

“It’s a good idea because sometimes it’s harder for college students to actually afford these things to look presentable and professional during an interview,” she said.

Wiggins wanted to point out that employers can make a decision about potential workers even before they talk to them.

“We’re in a time where looks still do matter, so if you go and don’t look polished and neat, an employer may get an impression of you before they even talk to you,” she said.

Students said they agreed that if you look better when you go on an interview in the proper attire you have a better chance at receiving the job.

“I think that if you look the part, the employer is more likely to think that you took more time to dress well when you come to the interview, you’ll take the time to do your work well,” sophomore deaf studies major Samantha Gilbert said.

There are several factors that go into the process of a student procuring a suit to and this drive is aiming to make it easier for student, according to elementary education and special education major Christy Ramirez.  Situations such as lack of funds or transportation for that matter to get a suit can be cause for students to not look business appropriate during an interview.

“There are students on campus that are being helped out by the University so they can’t afford to get a suit or they just do not have the transportation to get somewhere where they could purchase one,” Ramirez said.  “I think that it is important for those that do have the ability to donate suits that do not fit them anymore and so forth. I feel that someone who wears a suit to an interview looks more put together and more serious about going to the interview.”

The drive will continue until March 9. On March 12, students will be able to come to the career center between 10a.m. and 6 p.m. to pick up one suit to take home with them.

The suits can be dropped off at the Career Center as well as the University Store in the Union.