That’s why USD seeks to meet students where they are, providing them with meaningful resources and valuable leadership opportunities to prepare them for successful careers and fulfilling lives.

Charlie’s Career Closet

Confidence is key to landing a dream job, and when students look their best, they feel their best. However, not all students have the financial means to afford proper professional attire, putting them at a disadvantage in their pursuit of career success. Charlie’s Career Closet’s mission is to solve that problem by removing financial barriers and helping students dress for success.

“Alleviating the financial burden of professional attire has the power to be life changing and transformative for students at USD,” said USD President Sheila K. Gestring. “Feeling confident and putting one’s best foot forward could be the difference between getting a job or internship, passing a thesis defense or standing out among the competition at a career fair.”

Charlie’s Career Closet will provide free new or gently used professional apparel, donated by USD faculty, staff, alumni and professionals in the community, to students upon request. In addition to clothing, Charlie’s Career Closet will also provide students with tips on how to market themselves and build their professional brand.

Charlie's Closet leaders share their story about Charlie's Closet at a Women in Philanthropy event

The closet serves as an extension to the variety of career services currently available to students through the USD Academic and Career Planning Center (ACPC), such as job searching, resume/cover letter writing workshops, interviewing practice and networking.

Charlie’s Career Closet was the USD Women in Philanthropy’s 2022 signature initiative. Inspired by a shared mission, USD Women in Philanthropy provides a platform where women can pool their resources, passion and philanthropic insight to make a difference not only in the lives of students, but also in their respective communities.

The closet is set to open in the spring of 2023. 

Charlie’s Cupboard

According to a 2020 study by Hope Center, one in three students at four-year colleges report low or very low levels of food security. Beyond hunger, food insecurity compounds a variety of needs, affecting students’ ability to afford other necessities and negatively impacting their academic performance.

For over two years, Charlie’s Cupboard has been reducing food insecurity on campus and improving the lives of students at USD by providing non-perishable food and personal products.

The pantry addresses the needs of all students represented in the university community – including those with specific food requirements, those from various backgrounds and those with families – while also educating the larger campus community about food insecurity.

"Students who have access to resources like Charlie’s Cupboard and feel supported on campus are much more likely to be successful,” said Kimberly Grieve, Ph.D., vice president for student services and dean of students
Since its founding in 2020, Charlie’s Cupboard has more than tripled in size and has provided over 3,000 students with 20 tons of food and personal care products. Located in the Center for Continuing Education at the heart of campus, the pantry is accessible to all USD students with a current student ID.

Student Counseling Center

Mental health is a concern for college students across the country, and USD students are not immune. Mental health problems can have serious implications on students’ college experience, interfering with their academic progress and emotional well-being.

"Many, if not all, students are physically separated from many of their support networks while they are in college,” said Debra Robertson, director of the Student Counseling Center. “It is important that we provide the support necessary for students to navigate not only expected challenges, but also those that are unexpected as well.”

USD students sit together at the Muenster University Center.

Located in the Cook House, the Student Counseling Center offers a wide range of confidential services, such as individual and group counseling, substance use services, self-help tools and general health information, to currently enrolled students at no cost.

USD recently added another counseling position to the Student Counseling Center and has trained 62 new student mentors for the “Question, Persuade, Refer,” or QPR, program – an industry-leading suicide prevention program aimed at educating faculty, staff and students about suicide warning signs.

In 2020, the Student Counseling Center launched Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) to offer virtual counseling and educational resources related to mental health, wellness and substance abuse issues. TAO also offers interactive sessions, mindfulness exercises and practice tools aimed at helping students achieve their goals.

Annual surveys conducted by the Student Counseling Center indicate that between 98% and 100% of students each semester find the services to benefit their overall ability to better function as a student.

President’s Senior Leadership Institute

In addition to providing students with support services and resources, USD also prepares students for successful futures by providing leadership development programming, such as the President’s Senior Leadership Institute (PSLI).

PSLI is a leadership development program designed to help prepare senior-level students for leadership roles after graduating from USD. Through pre-professional preparation activities, students develop the essential skills and academic knowledge necessary to be a young professional and leader in the state of South Dakota and beyond.

“Students that complete the PSLI program gain a better understanding of what it means to be a leader,” said Jordan Bonstrom, director of USD’s Opportunity Center. “No matter what field they choose to pursue after graduation, we hope that students come out of this program feeling confident and inspired to utilize the skills they learned to go on and make a difference.”

USD students listen to a professor in a classroom

During the yearlong program, participating students focus on the areas of group dynamics, personal strengths and values, financial literacy, responsible citizenship and professional etiquette. Through travel opportunities, students also build a greater understanding of the economic, political and geographic impacts of the state of South Dakota.

“Through the generous support of the USD Women in Philanthropy group, our students have the chance to participate in a statewide tour and join other university leaders at USD Day at the Capitol,” said Gestring. “This provides an opportunity for our students to gain a greater appreciation for the cultural and social dynamics that make South Dakota unique and places them on the fast track to success as they prepare to join the workforce or wherever life takes them next.”

Learn how to support USD students at usdalumni.com/student-support-services.

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