THE ANNUAL ARGOS SUIT UP! initiative offers students and alumni the chance to purchase professional wear and accessories from JCPenny at discounted prices during an after hours event.
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or three hours on a Sunday evening in February, the JCPenney in University Town Plaza is taken over by a sea of green and blue. It’s Argos Suit Up!—an initiative that makes it easier for University of West Florida students and alumni to dress to impress on a budget, giving them the support and confidence they need to put their best foot forward in the workforce. The program was launched in February 2018 when UWF President Martha D. Saunders pledged $10,000 of personal funds, after learning about the national initiative through a UWF student. Hosted by the Office of Career Development and Community Engagement, the event is made possible through donations and a partnership with JCPenney to provide an exclusive shopping experience for students and alumni and a 40 percent discount on eligible professional clothing. Donations allow the University to provide participants with gift cards, which are administered through an application process ahead of the event and at a raffle during the event. To fund this year’s event, the Office of Career Development and Community Engagement utilized UWF’s new crowdfunding website, launched by the Division of University Advancement. A crowdfunding campaign encouraged donors to “support a suit” and ultimately raised more than $11,000, exceeding its goal of $7,000. Members of the community, including many UWF Foundation Board members and UWF faculty and staff actively participated as donors. “A student told me this was the most impactful event they have been to, and that spoke volumes,” said Lindsey Walk, director of community and employer engagement at UWF. “I look forward to continuing this event and finding new ways to fundraise.” More than 800 UWF students and alumni have taken advantage of the opportunity to purchase
professional wear and accessories through Argos Suit Up! “It’s like Black Friday in the middle of February,” said Hailey Currington, a UWF alumna and mental health clinician. “There are still expenses after graduation, so I’m very thankful this program continues providing support to alumni.” Linda Tierney, a first-generation college student and alumna who earned a master’s degree from UWF on the Emerald Coast in Spring 2018, attended Argos Suit Up! last year before graduation. “I didn’t know how I was going to pay for professional wear,” Tierney said. “I was thinking of visiting thrift stores and using some of my paycheck, but then I got an email about the Suit Up! program and applied.” Tierney, like many others, wore her outfit to her first interview and was offered the job. She now works as a therapist in Pace, Florida. “I felt a lot more confident when I wore my new outfit to my interview, and I still wear it at work,” Tierney said. “I wore one of the outfits I purchased to a conference in Atlanta recently, where I had to present in front of an audience. A professional, comfortable outfit really changes you in front of people. Your credentials are the same but your feelings are different.” Isiah Griffin, a graduate assistant in the Office of Career Development and Community Engagement, had the unique opportunity to work at and participate in the event. “I was able to see how impactful it is for all of the students on campus,” Griffin said. “I got to see the excitement and curiosity in students for what they can wear. It was fascinating to watch this part of their development and motivating to see how many students want to take that next step and prepare.” Argos Suit Up! will continue annually with the support of generous donors. To learn more about giving to UWF, visit uwf.edu/give.
“A professional, comfortable outfit really changes you in front of people. Your credentials are the same but your feelings are different.” —Linda Tierney ’18 Spring 2019
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