Norwich University’s Dressing for Success event supports student professional readiness

Vermont Business Magazine Each year, the transition from classroom to career brings a familiar set of challenges for college students, including how to present themselves professionally, how to prepare for interviews, and how to navigate early career expectations. For hundreds of Norwich University students, those challenges are addressed through an initiative that combines community generosity with practical career preparation. 

Now in its third year, the Dressing for Success event, an initiative of Norwich University’s Women Kicking Glass committee, continues to provide students with donated business attire at no cost. The event is designed to help students prepare for internship and job interviews, professional networking opportunities, and other career-related social and professional settings. 

The impact of the event is significant. During last year’s Dressing for Success event, more than 380 students left with new professional outfits. For many participants, the event provided their first complete set of business attire—an important resource for students preparing to enter professional environments where expectations around appearance are often implicit but consequential. 

In addition to professional clothing, the Dressing for Success event offers a range of career-readiness services intended to support students as they prepare for the next stage of their professional lives. Resume reviews allow students to receive feedback on formatting, content, and clarity, helping them better articulate their skills, experiences, and career goals. Mock interviews provide students with opportunities to practice responding to common interview questions, refine their communication skills, and build confidence in a structured, supportive setting. 

Professional headshot photography is another key component of the event. Students are able to receive high-quality headshots that can be used immediately for LinkedIn profiles, online portfolios, internship applications, and other professional materials. Together, these resources create a comprehensive preparation experience that mirrors the expectations students will encounter beyond the university setting. 

The success of the Dressing for Success event is rooted in collaboration. Each year, donations from both the local community and the Norwich University community make the event possible. Alumni, faculty, staff, local businesses, and community members contribute new or gently used professional attire, ensuring students have access to high-quality clothing across a wide range of styles and sizes. 

Those donations represent more than material support. They reflect a shared investment in student success and a collective commitment to helping students overcome financial and logistical barriers that can stand in the way of professional development. 

Students from across academic programs and career pathways participate in the Dressing for Success event, underscoring the universal importance of professional readiness. Whether preparing for internships, full-time employment, graduate or professional school interviews, or various career opportunities, students benefit from resources that help them present themselves with confidence and professionalism. 

As the Dressing for Success event enters its third year, it continues to grow in both reach and impact. By combining access to professional attire with hands-on career preparation and strong community support, the initiative plays a meaningful role in helping Norwich students take their next steps beyond Northfield. 

Through sustained community involvement and a focus on practical preparation, the Dressing for Success event remains a clear example of how targeted support can help students move forward—prepared, confident, and ready for what comes next. 

About Norwich University 

Norwich University is a diversified academic institution that educates traditional-age students and adults in a Corps of Cadets and as civilians. Norwich offers a broad selection of traditional and distance-learning programs culminating in baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Norwich University was founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge of the U.S. Army and is the oldest private military college in the United States of America. Norwich is one of our nation’s six senior military colleges and the birthplace of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). www.norwich.edu

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Norwich University