Description
Help Xavier students in their professional development needs. This can be for purchasing professional clothing for interviews, travel expenses to complete graduate school interviews, attend a professional conference, and more.
Donations are applied to...
Career Development runs grant award cycles each semester to provide $100+ awards to students for professional development & professional clothing purchases.
Past Student Recipient Testimonies
Your donation allows us to support more students with Professional Development awards. Here are what some of our past student recipients had to say about how the award made a strong impact on them:
- "I’m a first-generation student at Xavier. I had a great deal of hard time learning how to dress professionally. It was something that my family was not able to teach me how to do. I remember coming to Xavier my first year and seeing everyone had at least one professional outfit. The first time I needed something professional for an interview while at Xavier, I was grateful to have close friends whose closets were open to me. Since receiving the professional fund, I was able to take two prestigious interviews. I now have a full-time position at Tiffany and Company, where I am using my degree and plan to work with the company past my graduation in May."
- "The professional fund that was granted to me has helped me greatly. I am currently in grad school in a program that requires us to dress at least business casual every day, sometimes business professional. I don't have the most clothes to cover these requirements, and I have to borrow my dad's clothes to be aligned with the requirements. The fund helped me grow my wardrobe, which will help me for the rest of my time in the program, for interviews, and for future employment. Thank you for your contributions to help students like me build a professional wardrobe!"
- "Through the Professional Fund Award, I was able to fund part of my expenses of living in Los Angeles during my internship at a music video and commercial production company in the summer of 2023. Through the internship, I learned from some of my favorite directors and producers, gained valuable connections, and worked on production sets. Living in Los Angeles is not cheap, so this award helped make this internship of a lifetime possible."
- "The Professional Attire Fund provided by Xavier University has been incredibly impactful for me. As a student, navigating the transition from casual to professional attire can be daunting, especially when finances are tight. Receiving this award for professional attire was a tremendous help, allowing me to invest in essential pieces like collared shirts and professional pants that I otherwise would've struggled to afford. Not only did this fund alleviate financial stress, but it also boosted my confidence as I entered professional settings, knowing that I was appropriately dressed for success. I'm grateful for the opportunity to access this resource, and I believe it will greatly benefit other students in similar situations in the future."
Why are donations necessary?
Many students do not have the resources to purchase interview-appropriate clothing, or have to make many sacrifices to advanced their professional development. This fund supports Professional Development Clothing awards of at least $100 each. In the 2023 calendar year, 42 students were able to be awarded funds. The more we are able to receive from donations, the more students we can award funds to.