Campus Thread is one of many student resources at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. As stated on their page, The Campus Thread is UWL’s FREE clothing closet. The program offers jeans, pants, blouses, blazers, shirts, skirts, dresses, UWL apparel and more.
Campus Thread previously occupied the old campus ministry on Pine Street known as “Common Ground” but has since moved spaces.
The program is now housed in two locations on campus, both on the first floor of Centennial Hall, in the Center for Transformative Justice (CTJ) and Career Services. Their hours of operation, in both offices, are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students can stop in anytime during those hours or set up an appointment by email or phone.
The Campus Thread in Career Services is where students can find professional clothing options whereas the location in CTJ offers a wider variety. Clothing at both locations is completely free to students at UWL and it is important to note that Campus Thread does not accept shoes, socks, underwear and accessories.
Third-year Student, Rachel Klingberg, explained she heard of Campus Thread through her involvement in other UWL organizations and being a part of OMSS. She said, “I also heard about it through my campus tour before my freshman year.”
Clothing, especially professional clothing, can be quite expensive for college students who are struggling to make ends meet. However, professional clothing is a necessity for interviews, presentations and internships for many college students.
Klingberg said, “Campus Thread has helped me as a lower socioeconomic status student feel seen and heard on the campus.”
Another third-year student spoke of what Campus Thread means to her, “I think this could be very useful in many settings, especially on campus when we may not have access to high-end clothing to create a good impression.”
Campus Thread hosts an annual fashion show for students, staff and faculty. This year’s Campus Thread Fashion Show is Thursday, April 25 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in The Bluffs in UWL Student Union. The doors open at 5 p.m. with the show beginning at 5:15 p.m. and a drop and shop begins at 6 p.m.
The drop and shop involves Campus Thread setting out some of their inventory for people to look through and take. Guests can also donate clothing to Campus Thread during this time.
Klingberg, who participated in the Fashion Show last year said, “It made me realize we have more clothing options than I had previously thought.”
The show will also feature a presentation on sustainability with CTJ Peer Diversity Specialists. For questions about this event or to request disability accommodations can contact Caleb Colon-Rivera at 608-785-5095 or [email protected].
Outside of the Fashion Show, people can drop off donations that have been laundered to the CTJ during their regular hours of operation. Donations can be gently used, casual clothing such as jeans, pants, skirts, dresses, blouses, shirts, UWL apparel and career clothing.
Klingberg said she utilized Campus Thread to find clothes and to donate herself. “Everyone in the office is super nice; if you have any questions, they are super helpful in those situations,” she said. “You can go in without question and leave, tell them what you picked up and you are all set.”
The Campus Thread is open and available to all students on UWL’s campus. Klingberg said, “When money is tight, it is nice to know there are options on campus to help me out in those tough situations.”
Students not in having financial issues are also more than welcome to use Campus Thread with no questions asked.
The Campus Thread is still looking for more volunteers to help run it through positions such as donation organization, customer service and marketing. As found on the Campus Thread page, if you are interested in volunteering at the Campus Thread please contact [email protected].
