Back row l-r: Suzanne Leeke District 6 Golden Z Chair, Carolyn Stump Area 3 Director, Kelley Jacobsen, Ashley Zamora, Lissette Magana, Susan Harmon Zonta Club of Lincoln President, Linda Hiltabrand District 6 Governor.
Front row l-r: Rachel Wrzek, Valerie O’Brien, Elizabeth Kahle, Audrey Maske.
On October 27, 2012 the Golden Z Club of the University of Illinois held its Charter Presentation. Zonta International officially chartered the club on September 13, 2012. The club is the first Golden Z Club in District 6.
At the Charter Presentation six members were inducted into the club with four installed as officers. Charter officers are President Elizabeth Kahle, Vice President Kelley Jacobsen, Treasurer Rachel Wrzek, and Secretary Ashley Zamora. Additional members are Recorder Audrey Maske and Lissette Magana. Valerie O’Brien serves as University Advisor. The club is sponsored by the Zonta Club of Lincoln.
In their first semester at the University of Illinois the club held a public showing of the documentary MissRepresentation. The film explores how the media’s misrepresentation of women has led to an underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence. After the showing a discussion was held exploring what the audience had seen and their own opinions on how the media has influenced the role of women in today’s society. Later in the semester the club held a bake sale raising funds for a local women’s shelter. The club raised over $70 which will be donated to the shelter to aide in their continual support of local women and families.
In 2013 the Golden Z-Club will be participating in the University of Illinois’ Community and Campus Day of Service, will continue to assist their local women’s center, and is organizing a fundraiser to help end violence against women and girls in their local community. The University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, USA and is known as a public research-intensive university. It comprises 17 colleges and offers more than 150 programs of study.