Have you ever been unable to attend an event for the university due to not owning or not being able to afford appropriate business attire? Well, a solution will be coming to campus very soon.  Captain’s Closet, an emerging program for students to get affordable dress clothes for interviews, campus events, and other professional settings, is coming to CNU in the near future.  

Savannah Dunn (Class of 2025) and Director of Alumni Engagement Baxter Vendrick came up with the idea in late April following the class of 2024 Freshman Desserts event, as some students were unable to attend due to not having access to some of the clothes listed in the event’s dress code, such as ties and dress shoes. They’ve started building the project from there and have had multiple campus organizations involved in making Captain’s Closet successful such as the Center for Career Planning, University Events, and Student Affairs.

The program has received several donations of clothes from generous donors, including some clothes from former First Lady Rosemary Trible. They have received some financial donations as well. It seems that this program has gotten the entire CNU community involved. 

Vendrick said that Captain’s Closet will not just be a way for students to get these clothes, but to receive assistance on finding the right clothes and how and when to use them. Both Vendrick and Dunn emphasized that students who need these clothes should absolutely have them. This wonderful idea will create an equal playing field for all students and it will provide a way to prepare for not just CNU events but all professional settings. 

“Regardless of what your bank account looks like, we’re all Captains here and we want to make sure there’s a level playing field when it comes to being able to go to events and traditions that they ought to attend and we don’t want the absence of a tie or blazer or dress to prevent them from going.” Vendrick said. 

Dunn said, “Students shouldn’t be discouraged from attending a CNU event because they don’t have the proper business attire. We are working hard so there is an affordable way for students to look their best for professional events and won’t feel excluded.” 

Announcements on a possible physical location and other details will come out in the coming weeks. The hope is for a full launch by next semester. Contact Dunn and Vendrick at [email protected] and [email protected], if you have any questions.

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