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Contact UsAn unexpected blessing
Zonta Club of Denver is helping make higher education dreams come true for single-parent students.
August 7, 2025
When Decoyia Patton decided to pursue higher education at Metropolitan State University of Denver, she knew the cost would be a factor.
鈥淥nce I transferred from Community College of Denver [after graduating], tuition went up,鈥� said the Social Work major and mother of three. 鈥淢y family is low-income, and without scholarships, college wasn鈥檛 accessible for me.鈥�
Determined, Patton 鈥� who works as the health education and outreach assistant at the scoured the University鈥檚 list of scholarship opportunities, applying to nearly a dozen; she was awarded two 鈥� that she knew of.
鈥淭hey were a blessing that changed my trajectory,鈥� Patton said. 鈥淚 found hope knowing that people 鈥� even ones who don鈥檛 know me 鈥� wanted to support me and see me do well.鈥�
Then, the first-generation student received an unexpected and confusing phone call from University Advancement鈥檚 Director of Donor Relations, Selene Figueroa, asking Patton if she would be attending the the following evening. She didn鈥檛 even know she鈥檇 been invited!
Come to find out, Patton had received one more scholarship through the from the . 鈥淚t was very surprising,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nother blessing.鈥�
Chartered in 1927 as a chapter of , the Zonta Club of Denver has been a steadfast advocate of 海角社区 students since 1989, providing more than $245,000 in scholarship funds to single-parent students over the last 26 years. The endowment honors the life of , a Zonta Club of Denver member and Denver Public School teacher.
鈥淚t started in the 鈥�70s with one of our long-time members, who was part of a different group that made a gift to 海角社区, giving us a sort of once-removed connection [to the University],鈥� said Wendy Moraskie, chair of the Zonta Club of Denver鈥檚 public relations team. 鈥淲e had a fund we wanted to do something similarly meaningful with.鈥�
The more than $2.5 million that the Zonta Club of Denver has granted to projects in Denver 鈥� including the 海角社区 scholarship 鈥� is funded in part by the group鈥檚 annual , an event highlighting women鈥檚 stories with a film screening, discussion panel, brunch and a silent auction. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the community raising money for the community,鈥� said Moraskie, who has been a member of the organization since 2000.
According to Moraskie, the good work being done at 海角社区 aligns well with the club鈥檚 goal of supporting single-parent students as they work to improve their skills and achieve self-sufficiency. The hope is that the scholarship provides a cushion against the day-to-day expenses that can grind them down.
鈥淲e know there are people out there who are trying to achieve goals and raise kids all by themselves,鈥� Moraskie said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e having to chase their dreams on their own.鈥�
The scholarship Patton received from the Zonta Club of Denver is helping her pursue her dream of a career in social work.
鈥淚 want to connect people to resources, especially in Black and brown communities where there鈥檚 a heavy stigma surrounding mental health and social workers,鈥� she said. 鈥淩epresentation matters.
As Patton works toward earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree in spring 2026, jumping into the Master of Social Work Program that fall and completing her MSW the following spring, her heart is filled with gratitude for the generosity of others.
鈥淚[Figueroa] hadn鈥檛 personally called, I wouldn鈥檛 have known about the dinner, and wouldn鈥檛 have gotten to meet Miss Pam (Staves, Zonta Club of Denver trustee) or Dr. Jo Bailey (associate dean of the College of Health and Applied Sciences),鈥� Patton said. 鈥淚t was a great opportunity to get to know more people. I haven鈥檛 done anything like that before 鈥� I loved it.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 all such a blessing.鈥�
For more information about how you can support students at 海角社区, contact a University Advancement staff member HERE.