In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Bronx Community College (BCC) is collaborating with Agentcy Collective to launch “Career Gear™ Boutique” on campus to outfit students at no cost with brand new men’s, women’s and gender-neutral professional attire for interviews and recruitment events. An added bonus of the Boutique is that students get to keep the clothing to wear to their internships or jobs. A special ribbon cutting event celebrating the official opening took place on Monday, December 2, in the newly renovated space. 

“Students have worked hard in their courses and done all of the prep to become career-ready, but when it comes time for the interview or a recruitment event, the stress of what to wear can be debilitating. By eliminating the barrier of access to professional attire, we enable students to show up to their job interviews or job fairs with greater confidence, which makes them more successful,” said Dean of Workforce Development & Continuing Education Jessica Seliger, whose office, the umbrella unit for BCC’s Office of Career Development, works with students to provide services, including career planning, job readiness skills, internships and employment opportunities, resume writing, and interview techniques. (They even house a professional photo booth so students can take LinkedIn headshots.) 

The Boutique is centrally located in the same building where students go for classes and meet with many of their academic advisers. To qualify to receive the professional attire, students must have had at least one visit with their career adviser and articulated their commitment to getting a job in their field of choice. 

BCC Interim President Milton Santiago said, “We are proud to be the first community college ever to partner with Agentcy. This collaboration is a significant milestone for BCC, as it allows us to provide free professional clothing to our students. This completes the circle on the multitude of services we offer our students in their journey to succeed.” 

Clothing (suits, dress pants, shirts/blouses and shoes) from clothiers such as Joseph A. Banks, Men’s Wearhouse, The Suit Shop and a multitude of high-end brands are available to students when they make an appointment with their advisor in advance. BCC solidified the relationship with Agentcy last academic year and clothed more than 150 students during that academic year.

“I have used the Career Gear Boutique twice – once for Career Day and a second time for Morgan Stanley’s Inclusion Day,” said BCC student Janel Melvin. “I had a wonderful experience both times, with welcoming staff assisting me and asking me what I was looking for. It’s such a spacious area, with so many beautiful clothes. I felt like it was my own personalized styling room.” 

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “Congratulations to Bronx Community College for this transformational partnership, which will remove another obstacle to our students reaching professional goals by providing them with professional attire at no cost. As CUNY continues to expand career opportunities for students, programs like this partnership between BCC and Agentcy Collective help make sure they have everything they need to succeed.” 

Two students, Ariel Hill (a former BCC student now at Lehman) and Yeiska Monzon (a current BCC student), are serving as Career Development College Assistants and worked to get the Boutique space in top shape for the launch. They are staffing the Boutique – sorting clothes, organizing them by color, size, and category, and getting them ready for student shoppers. 

Jourdan Lemieque-Degnan,  Agentcy Collective* Executive Director/Founder, expressed gratitude for the unique partnership between BCC and his organization. “Putting down roots on campus allows us to serve the people in our community more fully,” he said.  

More photos available here.
See Bronxnet interview here.
WPIX piece here.
NY 1 piece here.
News 12 Bronx piece here.