Female club presidents of 2021 to 2022

The 2021 fall semester has begun at Oklahoma Christian University, and the social service clubs have a new group of leaders starting the year.

The spring semester kick started this new era of leaders with an election. To start off with, here are the female clubs presidents for this academic year.

First is the president of Gamma Rho, Tessa Luera, a senior finance major from Lubbock, Texas. Luera said she has a passion for her club and hopes to lead them through great things.

“After being one of the rush directors last year, I felt a passion for Gamma that I never knew was possible and felt called to run for president,” Luera said. “I love to serve Gamma in any and every way I can.”

Luera said she has many memories with Gamma Rho that have shown her community.

“My most memorable club experience was oddly enough an intramural swim meet,” Luera said. “I was swimming in this heat and in dead last and my body was so weak and fatigued, but I looked at the side of the pool and there stood about 40 of my new sisters cheering me on.”

Club holds a special importance for Luera and she said she plans to use her last leadership experiences to guide through this year.

“Club is so important to me because it is just a great way to be involved on campus, and inevitably gain so many friends,” Luera said. “Each and every girl in Gamma brings so many great things to the table, and I love each of them for their uniqueness.”

Next is the president of Iota Kappa Phi, Bethany Locke, a senior business management major from Greeley, Colorado.

“I wanted to be a leader for Iota to give back to a group that has given so much to me over the last two years,” Locke said.

Locke has had multiple opportunities as a leader but she cherishes her first real club experience.

“One of my first club experiences happens to be my most memorable,” Locke said. “Induction night felt like a dream come true and we had a great time doing induction things, but the sense of belonging really tied it together.”

Locke said she views her club as more than another leadership opportunity.

“Club is important to me because it is a place for people to feel at home when they might be far away from theirs,” Locke said. “It gives people the chance to grow in leadership positions, as well as in their relationships with others.”

Erica Salmon, a senior business management major, is the president of Lambda Chi Zeta. This previous athletic director said she is ready to take on this leadership role.

“I honestly never would have pictured myself as a leader in club,” Salmon said. “I always wanted to be athletic director not because I wanted to be a leader but because of my love for sports. When the opportunity was presented, I took it.”

Being a new club has allowed for the opportunity to have new experiences and memories.

“My favorite memory from Lambda so far was playing softball before we got new members. It was just us 10 founders and we were so terrible, but we were having the best time,” Salmon said. “No matter how badly we lost, we were all just so happy to be together.”

With Lambda being a newer club, Salmon has the opportunity to set new traditions and memories for her club.

“It has definitely been challenging but I think I have grown a lot already and it’s only been a couple weeks,” Salmon said. “I have so much passion for Lambda, I just want to do whatever I can to be there for everyone and to help us grow.”

Finally, the president of Theta Theta Theta is Avery Black, a senior nursing major from Oxnard, California. As a reelected president for Theta, Black said she wanted to continue what she began last year.

“I’m very passionate about Theta and everything we have to offer,” Black said. “I wanted to be an advocate for this club that is so misunderstood on campus.”

As a transfer student, Black wanted to get to know more people and create new memories.

“The most memorable club experience I’ve had would be our 50th anniversary banquet,” Black said. “We got to hear stories about Theta from the ladies who founded the first club on campus and bond with them over the long standing traditions.”

Black said her club gave her a community and a sisterhood to support her in all she does.

“Theta has helped me grow in more ways than I could describe and all I want is to give back to them what I was given and everything I’ve gotten out of this club,” Black said.

These are the 2021-2022 female social service clubs. Highlights for the male club leadership will follow soon.