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Confidence came in the form of a pantsuit for Abigail Faris.
As a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Faris was always involved. The political science and international studies major would always find herself involved in several student organizations on campus, such as SustainUNO and Durango’s Outfitters.
“UNO offers so many different opportunities to be able to get involved with so many organizations,” she said. “Everything interconnects and it helped me strengthen my network so I could leave Omaha feeling connected.”
On top of her classwork and participation in these student organizations, Faris was also an active member in UNO’s MavForensics — the university’s nationally ranked competitive speech program.
Participating in MavForensics was important to Faris, but it also came with a significant time commitment. On top of daily practices and competitions nearly every weekend, Faris said she would spend hours each week working on her speeches.
“You usually have about five or six speeches by the end of the year,” Faris said. “They kind of become your babies.”
Faris wanted to feel confident while she performed her speeches. With so many competitions in a busy season, Faris said her wardrobe needed to be well stocked with professional attire to wear for each performance.
That is where the UNO Alumni Association’s Career Closet came into play.
As vice president for Durango’s Outfitters as a student, Faris said the organization had a close relationship with the Career Closet when it opened in 2024.
In addition to providing extra donated clothes to the closet, Faris said she would visit pop-up shops hosted by the Career Closet throughout the year.
“When I was there, I was also a student so I would take whatever items that I needed at the time,” she said. “A lot of it was professional clothes for forensics.”
Faris said she owned around 15 separate suits used specifically for MavForensics events. Five of those suits came from UNOAA’s Career Closet.
Those clothes provided the confidence Faris needed to perform at her best without putting a strain on her wallet.
“I loved being able to feel that I was looking my best,” Faris said. “I got so many compliments from people around the country whenever I wore my alumni closet outfits.”
Now that Faris’s collegiate career is over and her time with MavForensics has come to an end, she is thankful for the outfits that gave her the confidence to succeed as a student.
“Those gifts really help students feel their best,” she said. “Your shirt or your money might be the reason that someone gets a new job because they look good in an interview. It’s also a great way to create sustainability and create a whole new life for these clothes.”
