Clothes Closet Honors AMM Department
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A campus organization honored the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Management for its partnership in providing professional clothing to students for job interviews and work.
The Cal Poly Pomona Career Center’s Clothes Closet recognized the department in an April 20 online ceremony for its Partner of the Year for 2020.
“We’re thrilled with our partnership with the Apparel Merchandising and Management department,” said Cheryl Love, a Career Center counselor and the Clothes Closet coordinator. “It’s allowed us to do amazing things. It really helps to illustrate the power of the learn-by-doing model.”
The Department of Apparel Merchandising and Management provides student interns to run the Clothes Closet’s day-to-day operations.
“AMM interns use what they learned in fashion retailing, apparel production and textile classes and apply the concepts to this boutique-type, not-for-profit service entity to help their own colleagues,” said Professor Muditha Senanayake, interim department chair.
For more than 10 years, the Clothes Closet has provided donated professional clothing for Cal Poly Pomona students who can’t afford it so they can attend job interviews, conferences, and career fairs, or work.
What began as a few bags of clothes in Career Center closet has turned into a professional clothing boutique with the interns’ help.
Under the supervision of grad student intern Zakiya Poole, a master’s student in animal science, the interns manage inventory of clothing donations, help students with styling sessions and use social media to promote and market what the program has to offer.
“The Clothes Closet has truly opened my eyes to how greatly our students are impacted by these wonderful resources that are offered to them,” said intern Sydney Koslowski, a junior apparel merchandising and management student. “I’m just so thankful that Cal Poly Pomona has people like Dr. Love and Zakiya working behind the scenes to ensure that all students have the right tools and resources for success.”