NJCU's Gothic Rack Provides Students With Professional Attire

Jersey City NJ

06 October, 2021

4:32 PM

Description

JERSEY CITY, NJ —A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Tuesday at New Jersey City University for The Gothic Rack, which provides free professional wear for NJCU students to use for interviews, career fairs, networking events and in the workplace. Sue Henderson, the NJCU president, Barbara Ruggieri, assistant dean for Social Services and Jennifer Luciano, associate dean for Residence Life and Social Services, helped cut the ribbon at the event. The Gothic Rack is located in Room 211 of the Gilligan Student Union Building (GSUB). The goal of the venture, organizers said, is to remove financial barriers that may prevent students with the highest need from looking and feeling their best during the internship and job search process. "Dressing appropriately for an interview, career fair or networking event is key to boosting your confidence and helping you make a great first impression," said organizers on the Gothic Rack website. According to a release, Rob Quinones, assistant director of the Center for Community Engagement, spearheaded the initiative, and a $315,000 gift from the Ralph Lauren Corporation also helped bring the project to life. Quinones will be part of The Gothic Rack leadership team along with Dominique Smith, director of the ASCEND (Achieving Success by Cultivating Excellence and Nurturing Discovery) program and Josh Iannuzzi, director of Career Services at the NJCU School of Business. The Gothic Rack is open to all NJCU students, and they are allowed to keep the clothing items they take. There is a limit of two professional outfits per semester. The Gothic Rack is open Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. Students are asked to email [email protected] for an appointment. More details are available on the NJCU website.