Every West Virginia University student brings something different to the campus community. Why not bring that diversity to the dinner table as well?

Those thoughts in mind, several students in WVU s Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences have come together to form the WVU Cooking Club.

The first meeting of the semester will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5 in room 110 Agricultural Sciences Annex. Attendees will enjoy free food, meeting new people and a cooking demonstration, while discovering what the new club has to offer.

Well be able to form new friendships through the shared interest of cooking and food,said Crystal Goldyn, a genetics and developmental biology doctoral student from Portage, Pa. and vice president of the club.It will also allow us to learn new cultures and taste real ethnic food.

While demonstrating how to cook and exchanging recipes from around the world, club members also hope to share knowledge of healthy cooking and eating with other WVU students.

Obesity is a global problem, but the World Health Organization emphasizes that it and related chronic diseases are largely preventable,explained Gulsum Soyler-Ogretim, president of the club and a doctoral student in genetics and developmental biology from Turkey.As a club, one of our goals is to promote a healthy lifestyle through education.

WVU students will benefit from the educational, yet fun and exciting, environment, Goldyn added.

Theyll get free food that tastes good and the chance to help others.Who doesnt love that idea,she said.

The clubs efforts wont be isolated to the WVU campus, however.

We want to reach out to members of the Morgantown community with cooking demonstrations and seminars as well,Goldyn said.

Interested students should contact Soyler-Ogretim at gulsumsoyler@yahoo.com for more information. Recipes will be exchanged through the clubs Yahoo! Group wvucookingclub@yahoogroups.com .