| Congratulations to the 2009 winners: |
| Region 1: Quetta Nicholson - Temple University ($1,000) |
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Quetta comments, "I would like to thank everyone who nominated me for the 2009 Regional Advisor of the Year for Region 1. I was surprised when I received the email stating that I was selected. This award means everything to me. I know that Temple University’s chapter has come a long way since I first started, but to get this award shows me proof that hard work and dedication really pay off. I have to say that I am working with the best officers ever! After talking with the officers about the 2008 International Conference, they decided that they would all like to attend this year’s conference. In order to make this happen with little cost to them, we have participated in numerous fundraising events. I am excited to say that we have 9 officers and 1 member that will be attending the International Conference this year! That is a record! I feel as though each officer deserves to be there as much as anyone else since they have shown their dedication towards the organization. I am sincerely appreciative of this award and will be using it to purchase some needed supplies for the organization." |
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| Region 2: Bill Johnson - University of North Carolina-Greensboro ($1,000) |
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Bill comments, "I am truly honored and surprised to receive the 2009 Regional Advisor of the Year Award for Region 2! I know that all of our advisors do a wonderful job working with their chapters; I am just tickled that I was chosen as this year's recipient for the award! This award is not only about the work that I do - it's about the work that the officers, my co-advisor, and the staff at International Headquarters have contributed to help create a chapter at UNCG. I can truly say that Golden Key is a part of me - and I will continue to serve the chapter and the organization to the best of my abilities. I intend to use the money from the award to obtain additional training and resources to further my knowledge in personal development and life planning, so that I can continue to further develop the members on my campus as well as the members of organization at regional and international conferences." |
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| Region 3: Lynn Hamric - University of Alabama ($1,000) |
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Lynn comments, "Being the recipient of this award means that others believe I am doing what a good advisor is supposed to do, provide avenues for the advancement of members of Golden Key. It means that what I immensely enjoy doing, not as a part of my regular job, has been recognized as being beneficial to my students. When asked in 1997 if I would serve as the UA Chapter Advisor I delayed giving an answer until I had researched the organization and felt confident that I could not only promote Golden Key on the UA campus but that it was also something to which I would be willing to devote many hours of volunteer work. I plan to work with the GED program and the local correction system to assist with payment for GED exams for inmates. Education is the only real way to break the cycle for these individuals and many cannot afford to take the exam once they complete the course. Our chapter has provided several hundred books to one of the schools whose children have the highest rate, in the count, of incarcerated parents. I like to think that by providing GED assistance these inmates, who learn how to read while incarcerated, may very well read one of these books to their children for the first time. Education is the key to success and I feel this will be money well spent." |
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| Region 4: Jeffrey Fox - Northern Kentucky University ($1,000) |
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Jeff comments, "I am honored to receive the 2009 Regional Advisor of the Year award for Region 4. I am proud to represent the hard working and dedicated members from Golden Key at Northern Kentucky University. This award means a lot to me. It is the highest honor and recognition from my peers for my hard work with Golden Key. I plan to take a chunk of the money and put it aside for work on my PhD. The remaining dollars will be split up between the classes I am teaching in the fall. I am going to have my students give persuasive speeches using course concepts. The students will need to convince each other which non-profit organization in Cincinnati deserves the money. While I appreciate the award money and plan to put it to good use, I want to give back to my community, as well." |
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| Region 5: Carol Kosisko - Ball State University ($1,000) |
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Carol comments, "After graduating from Ball State University in the spring of 1988 with an Associate in Arts degree in Legal Assistance and a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Administration/Pre-Law, I continued full-time employment at the university in the department of Speech Communication. This is where I fell in love with working in a campus setting and serving students. During the past twenty-one years, I moved on to work in the School of Nursing, the College of Architecture and Planning, and my current area of employment, the office of University Advancement. I currently serve as the assistant to the vice president of University Advancement. I am honored to serve as the co-advisor for the Ball State Student Foundation, and as the advisor for Ball State University’s chapter of Golden Key International Honour Society. My relationship with my Golden Key officers and members goes well beyond that of advisor, to encompass friend, confidant, mentor and sometimes mother. The money received with this award will help pay for my travel with my officers to the International Conference as well as help to support the chapter’s K-6 grade literacy initiative; an initiative which tugs at my heart since my husband is an elementary teacher. I am grateful to Golden Key International Honour Society for this award and to my chapter officers and members, both past and present, for all the lessons learned, all the friendships gained and all the fun shared." |
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| Region 6: Precious Porras - University of Kansas ($1,000) |
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Precious comments, "I am very honored to receive this award. When I first signed on to advise GK (in September 2007), I wasn't sure what to think. It was pretty overwhelming and I had no student leadership. However, in one year, with some amazing students, we went from good standing to gold! That alone was such a great reward for all our hard work. I've only been doing this for 2 years and so I don't always have the right answers, but this award lets me know that I'm moving in the right direction. I was recently accepted to the University of Kansas to begin work on my Ed.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies with a concentration in Higher Education. I start this fall, so I will be using my award to help pay for school." |
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| Region 7: Harriet Watkins - University of Texas at Arlington ($1,000) |
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Harriet comments, "I am honored to be the 2009 Regional Advisor of the Year for Region 7. When I started at the University of Texas at Arlington three years ago, I became an advisor to immerse myself in collegial student activities on campus. Never did I imagine the huge sense of satisfaction and pure delight of being the Advisor for Golden Key. Every year I get to work with amazing, generous, hard-working, talented men and women. Although I try as much as possible to remain the invisible support system for my chapter, the award means that my participation in Golden Key has not gone unrecognized and I am humbled. I view my involvement as a wonderful opportunity to further the goals and maxims of this outstanding organization. I will use the award to further my education as I have just begun my doctoral studies this summer." |
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| Region 8: Joyce Buck - Weber State University ($1,000) |
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Joyce comments, "WOW! What an honor! Winning this award means I can jump up and down with our chapter officers, especially with Weber State University's Chapter President, Eric Hall, whose goal has been "Gold Again" and shout, “We did it! We did it!” Eric has worked very hard, and sometimes alone, to be sure our chapter was on track. I give credit to Eric, who is a returning chapter president, for this honor. Advisors can only do so much--it's the officers who make the difference. My plan is to use this award to attend the 2009 International Conference. I am currently an Instructor Specialist in the Child and Family Studies Department, College of Education, at Weber State University. I have been advisor to Golden Key at WSU for 14 years." |
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| Region 9: Emily Nudge - University of California-Riverside ($1,000) |
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Emily comments, "This award will allow me to accomplish a dream; to sponsor a series of talks for the campus and the community. I am now looking around as to how I can best utilize the funds but I’d like this series to motivate and encourage those who are reaching for the stars to continue to do so and to work together because without each other we cannot go far. The receipt of this award is a testament to my desire of showing concretely that we can support one another and we can do great things if we work together. This recognition allows me to fill up with positive fuel so I can keep going with advising and watching those I advise walk off into the sunset. Thank you for this great honor and invaluable resource." |
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| Region 10: Kimberly Figueroa- University of Massachusetts-Amherst ($1,000) |
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Kimberly comments, "WOW!!!! 5 years of working with Golden Key International Honour Society as the UMASS - Amherst Chapter advisor has been a true "labor of love". With each group of students who I advise, I am profoundly humbled by their talents; desire to give back to their communities, leadership and academic achievements. Their energy, excitement and youth inspire me to do my very best to help make our chapter succeed. Given that I would never have been selected as an undergrad for membership into Golden Key, it is a true honor to not only be an advisor but to receive this award."
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