The Trendy Falcon Helps Job-Seeking Students Look their Best

Jaylisa Lawson '27 of Graham, N.C., is doing all she can at Pfeiffer University to make it in business after she graduates.

She's pursuing a B.S. degree in Business Management and Leadership with a double concentration in marketing and entrepreneurship, and she's minoring in accounting. She's also begun finding economical ways to dress for success, having acquired several items of professional attire at no cost from the Trendy Falcon, a career clothing closet located in the Welcome Center on Pfeiffer's campus in Misenheimer, N.C.

Closet items include suits, ties, dress shirts, skirts, dress pants, and even professional bags. Lawson has worn her attire at several job interviews, and she also plans to enhance her wardrobe for internships she's recently secured.

"I've visited the Trendy Falcon multiple times, and each time I've been impressed with how many options were available to me," said Lawson, who hopes to start and become the financial manager of a marketing business and other ventures.

"The impact has been amazing because it gave me the confidence to walk into professional settings looking prepared, polished, and capable. It also helped relieve the stress of not having to worry about what to wear, allowing me to focus more on my coursework and presentation skills."

Lawson added that she's often required to wear business attire for marketing classes taught by Dr. Raushan Gross, Associate Professor of Business Management & Leadership. She has incorporated the Trendy Falcon into a class marketing project, in which she recommended the service to classmates and had some of them try on items as part of the presentation.

"A few students took my advice and have since used the Trendy Falcon for their own professional needs," she said.

The Trendy Falcon began operating a few years ago and is stocked with clothing donated* by staff, faculty, and alumni. Joseph Smith, a Criminal Justice and History major who plans to graduate from Pfeiffer next year, said he's acquired several shirts from the service that have made him feel "more professional and serious" during a work-study stint at Pfeiffer's library and at the Albemarle (N.C.) Police Department, where he has participated in ride-alongs and helped file paperwork. He appreciates the fact that the Trendy Falcon is much more convenient than shopping in clothing stores at distant malls.

The Trendy Falcon is run by Sharon Robinson, Pfeiffer's Director of Career Services and Internships, who is available by appointment to assist students with the selection of clothing items. Similar services have caught on at several other universities, including Western Carolina University, N.C. State University, and Fayetteville State University.

Robinson plugged two advantages of the Trendy Falcon. First, because it's free, students can "get off the ground" in terms of acquiring suitable clothing that might otherwise be out of reach financially for them.

"Some students don't always have the resources to purchase these kinds of things, so it gives them what they need to at least get the job," Robinson said. "And then once they have the job, they would have some money for one or two suits, if they need them, or for more business casual attire."

Second, Robinson offers students a bit of guidance on what to wear for an interview as a part of the process.

"They aren't always sure what to wear to an interview," Robinson said. "So it's nice to have a place where they can go and see what's there and what it looks like and choose something that will work for them."

*Interested in making a donation to the Trendy Falcon? Please contact Sharon Robinson at [email protected] for more information.