BILLINGS — For many college students, looking the part in a job interview or internship can become costly. At Montana State University Billings, a creative initiative is helping students take that next professional step without spending a dime.
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"Dress the Nest" is a free closet for students to access business attire and a professional headshot studio located in the MSU Billings Career and Employment Services. The office assists students in finding jobs, internships, and preparing for interviews, so making sure students were properly dressed seemed only fitting for the department's director, Becky Lyons.
"When we talk about mock interviews, what you should wear to an interview, it comes up of, 'Maybe I don't have the money or I don't have that outfit,' and so, we had some grant money come up, and wanted to be able to support students in this way," said Lyons.
Lyons and the department started brainstorming last August after already operating the headshot studio. They decided to clear out an old storage closet for the space, and with the help of a $7,500 grant from Enterprise Mobility, they were able to quickly fill it with trousers, slacks, button-ups, blouses, and suit jackets with sizes ranging from XS to 4XL.
Students who use the service are allowed to keep the clothes, all at no cost.
"When a student takes an outfit, it is theirs, so they get to keep it. They don't return it. Now they have the outfit for the headshot picture, and now they have it for an interview down the road," said Lyons.
Every student who visits also receives a to-go bag with a lint roller, mints, wipes, and a thank-you card that includes a message about interview etiquette and the importance of following up with a potential employer.
“When a student comes here, it's not just about the clothes, but also making sure that they know and feel supported about that next step," said Lyons.
"Dress the Nest" opened on April 1, and Lyons saw the success quickly grow. Ten outfits were given out on the first day alone. It did not take long to spread the word around campus, and the benefits have already been felt by the students who have stopped by.
"I came down, checked it out, and they had my size and everything, so it was perfect," said Katie, an MSU Billings student studying her master's in psychology who declined to give her last name. "I really appreciate having these new clothes because I get to wear them to my internship, and I've gotten lots of compliments from the coworkers and the supervisors and stuff, and they're like, 'Hey, you're dressing really professionally. We really appreciate that.'"
MSU Billings health and human performance major Jacob Tuckett was one of the first to benefit. With a job interview just days away, he stopped by the closet to pick out an outfit.
“I was able to pick out a couple things specific in mind for my job interview because it was happening just a couple days later, so it was perfect timing," said Tuckett. "Having it structured so that students can get the resources they need, I think, is fantastic.”
The success of the closet started before its creation, as it became possible with the assistance of West High junior Eliza Seifert. She is a part of the platinum program for her school, meaning she is involved in all high-level courses and must complete a community-based project. After being inspired while touring college campuses and seeing similar career closets, she approached MSU Billings with the idea in October.
"I know I wanted to do something that benefited the community, and I'm really passionate about thrifting and fashion," said Seifert.
She was in luck as Lyons was already working on their own version, so it became a perfect match.
"Ironically, we had already just submitted proposals for it, and so, the timing was perfect,” said Lyons. “It was very serendipitous to be like, we're already pursuing this, she's interested in it, and we were able to partner, so it was really cool."
Seifert worked on a donation drive for ties and tights to add to the collection and was also able to secure a large clothing donation from Dillard's worth thousands of dollars.
“It's really cool to see, like, these students come in and give their own experience," said Seifert. "It's great to talk to them and see how it's affected their lives in really positive ways.”
The closet is also helping students with a major aspect of their professional career: confidence. As the saying goes, "When you look good, you feel good too."
“I was by far the best guy dressed in the waiting room, I will say that,” said Tuckett. "We always dress sharp for games and now we dress sharp for work, and that allows me to really hone in and feel good through the day and give me that extra oomph of confidence to help me produce more than what I usually could by myself.”
Despite the small space, Lyons has plans to expand their services and offerings. She said there is always room for growth, just like the careers they have helped blossom for countless students.
“This honestly is just near and dear to our hearts because we just love being able to help support students through that next step of getting that job and entering that career field that they've been dreaming about," said Lyons. "Now we get to say you can have a professional outfit to feel comfortable and confident when you go for that interview. It's awesome, and so I think that's what it's all about, and for us as an office in Career and Employment Services to be able to provide that to students is pretty incredible.”
