Alverno College Provides Free, Professional Headshots to Students

Students at Alverno College are able to get a professional headshot at no cost to them.

Alverno College’s Career Studio added an Iris Booth, a self-serve photo booth that delivers high-quality digital portraits for the modern professional. Students are able to walk in, have their head shot taken, touch them up on the spot and then upload their photos to their email.

“This levels the playing field for students who are underrepresented and can’t afford to have professional head shots taken,” said Cheryl Moore, PhD, executive director of career development at Alverno. It’s a dream of hers that is finally being realized.

The college is one of only 35 educational institutions in the country to provide this technology to students, and the only one in Wisconsin. Moore hopes to increase student engagement while bolstering their digital readiness. “Today’s graduates need to be technology-savvy, and this is one way we can help them achieve that.”

The Career Studio unveiled the photo booth on November 9 at a networking event that also featured a speed mentoring session and a panel on how to be your authentic self.

“The photo booth is very user-friendly, it gives students the opportunity to take pictures with different lighting and it gives pose suggestions,” said Daniela Garcia, an Alverno student who has used the Iris Booth. “I enjoy having the photo booth because it is flexible and there is no need to schedule a time and date.”

Students who use the booth have three photos taken, with an opportunity for one retake. Once the photos are taken, they have the ability to make edits to the photos, including cropping, removing blemishes and adding filters. Students then receive their finished photo via email within minutes.

About Alverno College

Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy, music and liturgy, and business are open to women and men.

A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.