12/19/16
By Randy Gonzales
University Relations and Marketing
HAYS, Kan. -- Imagine a Fort Hays State University student who has an important interview with a prospective employer but doesn't have proper business attire.

Felix Albl hopes to solve that problem starting spring semester 2017 with Tailored for Tigers. Albl plans a clothing drive in January and store hours in Forsyth Library beginning in either February or March. Tiger students can try on professional dress clothes and rent them out for a nominal fee to cover cleaning costs.

Albl, a graduate student pursuing his Master of Business Administration, previously was part of a group that produced six posters which showed students how to dress both professionally and business casual. He later took a survey of prospective employers at a career fair and learned that many students attended without wearing professional clothes. Albl received feedback from students that they either could not afford professional dress clothes or they did not have those clothes with them at college.

"We wanted to come up with something that would help provide that for students," Albl said.

Albl had heard of similar clothing endeavors at other institutions and along with Scott Jones, instructor of management at FHSU, decided to start one at Fort Hays State.

The clothing drive is scheduled for Jan. 16. Donated men's and women's clothes can be dropped off at McCartney Hall as well as at Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine. There will possibly be other campus locations, to be announced later. The store at the library is planned to be open five hours a week. Students will be able to make appointments to try on and rent clothes.

Albl said the goal of Tailored for Tigers is to provide business majors in the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship and other FHSU students with affordable essential clothes necessary for the employment search, business presentation and other activities.

"I think it's really important that every student get the same opportunities to go out there and showcase the things they have learned," Albl said. "I'm just really excited to have something like this on campus."

The social media tags on Twitter and Facebook are @Tailored4Tigers.