Since starting at the College, Zatsiorsky has also helped create a community of support for other diabetic students. She’s a co-founder of the Diabetes Club of Columbia University, which officially became a recognized student group last fall. The club works to connect diabetic students with the information they need to manage diabetes while in school, like how to transfer prescriptions to a new pharmacy and register with Disability Services. Although it became an official group in 2024, an informal support network has existed for a while, Zatsiorsky said. For example, the club’s group chat predated its founding and is always there for members, whether they are running low on supplies or just need a space to talk with others who understand the challenges of being a diabetic student.
Along with being the club’s social chair, Zatsiorsky is on the women’s rowing team and works in a research lab studying tumor evolution at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. A self-described “science nerd,” she’s a computational biology major and hopes to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. Zatsiorsky recently shared more about the supportive communities she’s found on campus and how she explores the city through new restaurants.
How did you connect with the other founders of the Diabetes Club?
I have an insulin pump, and I used to decorate it a lot; I even had an Instagram account, @jackiespump. I was at NSOP and it was decorated, and two people came up to me and were like, “Oh my gosh, we both have diabetes and we love your insulin pump.” They were upperclasswomen, and they told me that if I ever needed anything I could text them, so we created a group chat. And then we just kept adding people to it — now it’s this huge WhatsApp group. Finally, Sophia Roesler BC’26, who is the president of the club now, was like, “Let’s make this a real thing.”
What’s the club like?
It’s really nice to have a community on campus that knows what you’re going through. If you run out of insulin pods or you need an extra Dexcom [a continuous glucose monitor] or you need somebody to talk to, you can text the group chat. At our meetings, sometimes my pump beeps, and everyone checks their phone to see if it was them. Usually when that happens, like in class, you know that it’s you, but it’s kind of nice to be in a space where everyone relates.
What do you do as the social chair?
I organize community events, [like] a dinner and other social events, just to get everyone together and make it casual, but also to create a space where people can get to know each other. We’re also going to start a run club, because a lot of people are curious about how to exercise with diabetes. It can be a little tricky, because your blood sugar can get very low, which is dangerous, so it’s easy to not want to do it. But it is possible. I think that getting people to realize there are different ways to manage your blood sugar and that you can push the boundaries, in whatever way that is for you, is a good thing to be exposed to as you’re learning how to manage diabetes. There’s always more to learn.
You have a lot of experience managing diabetes as a member of the rowing team. How do your teammates support you?
The rowing team is the best thing ever; it’s the most incredible group of women. They don’t make me feel any different or singled out. It’s just a wave of support. In the fall, my teammates and coaches all got together and we organized a “learn to row” event. We taught some basketball and lacrosse players how to row, took them to our boathouse and brought them out on the water. We raised more than $400, and donated it to Team Type 1, an organization I’m affiliated with that gives scholarships to type 1 diabetic college athletes. I even gave a little speech at the beginning. I think getting some awareness outside of our team was awesome. People hear about type 1 diabetes, but I think until you have someone close to you with it, you don’t really understand what it is.
What advice would you give to a first-year who might be nervous about managing type 1 diabetes at Columbia?
This is something the club is trying to help with. We’re very new, but we’re hoping to help streamline registration with Disability Services, for example. We want to make that very transparent, and help those who are first-years or are newly diagnosed go through that process more easily. I would tell someone to join our club and to try to find someone within the diabetes community who can help guide you, so you never feel like you’re doing it alone.
What is your favorite class?
I have two. One is “Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Java,” with Adam Cannon. When I took the class, I didn’t think that I was a computer science person; it really changed my mind. He explained things in a way that was accessible for somebody who had never been exposed to computer science. And I also like “Organic Chemistry II,” with James Leighton, which I’m in right now. It’s definitely an intimidating class, but I think he explains things really well.
How do you take advantage of being in New York City?
I like to try different restaurants. I’m a huge foodie. I got really into the Beli app to rank all of my favorite restaurants. I’ve also tried to go to more shows — my grandparents really love the opera, and they’re trying to get me to go!