At J.C. Penney’s Suit-Up Event, held on September 12, John Jay students were able to take full advantage of discounts on professional attire, personal shopping assistance, and career advice, all aimed at helping John Jay community members prepare for their future careers. “This is the second time that we have partnered with J.C. Penney for this event. The first time was during the spring 2019 semester,” said Kristina Simonsen, Associate Director of Employer Relations at the Center for Career and Professional Development, while adding the mission of this unique partnership. “We never want there to be a barrier for students to dress professionally, and we know that business attire can get expensive, yet it is required for interviews and your average day at most offices. Events like this are designed to help reduce the cost and promote career success.”

We spoke to several students to learn why they decided to participate in the J.C. Penney Suit-Up event and to hear more about their future career goals.

Francy Valentin ’20
Major: Criminology

I’m currently a social work intern and hope to pursue a career as a social worker in the future. This field requires that you dress in professional attire the majority of the time. An event like this one—where we can get affordable prices on professional clothing—is amazing, especially as a college student with a limited budget.

Jason Algarin ’19
Major: Anthropology 

I have an interview coming up so being able to get 60 percent off professional attire is really nice. I got some really good advice during this event too. The guy that was helping me choose a shirt to complement my suit also advised me to look up the owners of any company I was going to interview with and see how they dress. He said that if we had an idea of what they wear to work, then we could mirror that look for the interview and increase our chance for success.
 

Stefany Verasquez ’19
Major: Fraud Examination and Financial Forensics

I would like to get a job in the federal government, so the promotion that this event is offering on professional clothing is great, especially to be well-prepared to enter the work setting. It’s important for John Jay students to take advantage of these opportunities, because first impressions are important. Being well dressed can help students get to where they want to be in their careers.