Zonta Club of Oswego charters Golden Z Club of SUNY Oswego

The Zonta Club of Oswego, USA, recently held a ceremony at the Oswego Country Club to charter the new Golden Z Club at SUNY Oswego.

"We are thrilled to partner with the student-run club and introduce Golden Z Club members to all that Zonta has to offer," said Club President Iraina Gerchman. "We're also excited to dialogue with and learn from the students. Understanding the perspectives of young people and the challenges they face is important to us."

The club's creation was the work of Zontian Christina Seado Vasquez, EdD. Christina directs the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) at SUNY Oswego. As a strong student advocate, she felt a Golden Z club might be a good fit for the students she works with on campus.

Earlier this year, Christina mentioned the idea to Olivia Odigie, a student at SUNY Oswego who would become the club's first president. Olivia shared the information with her friends, and word spread quickly. After receiving much interest from the students, the club promptly started the student club with 25 chartering members.

The student club recently held its first meeting with Christina as their adviser, and they cannot wait to learn leadership skills and develop service projects on campus and in the community. They already have many ideas and will be charting their course forward over the next few months so they can start strong next semester.

"We would love to raise money for Oswego County Opportunities' Domestic Violence Program, Services to Aid Families (SAF)," Olivia said. "We're also thinking about ways to empower our members. Our top priority is building a strong club that will last in the future."