| Congratulations to the 2009 winners: |
| Region 1: Mawii Ralte - Stony Brook University ($1,000) |
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Mawii comments, "I am extremely grateful to have received the Regional Student Leader Award for Region 1. It is a very humbling experience to be recognized. I have developed tremendously as a leader through my work with Golden Key on campus and put my all into what I do. I plan to use the award towards expenses for the coming academic year while I pursue a MA in Public Policy from Stony Brook University. In addition, I hope to continue to help the executive board lead our chapter members towards achieving great successes. Even as a Golden Key Alum, I plan to be very involved in Golden Key activities." |
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| Region 2: Kaitlin Clinnin - University of North Carolina-Greensboro ($1,000) |
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Kaitlin comments, "I am extremely honored to be named the 2009 Regional Student Leader of the Year for Region 2. Although I appreciate the recognition that this award brings, the greatest reward for me has been seeing my chapter at UNC Greensboro grow and prosper in its short existence. Golden Key has been a major influence in my undergraduate career and I am grateful for all of the opportunities I have been given as a result of my membership. This award validates the time and effort the advisors and executive board members have put into establishing a chapter at UNC Greensboro so that all of the students can access Golden Key's benefits." |
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| Region 3: Juan Carmona - Auburn University ($1,000) |
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Juan comments, "It is truly humbling to receive this award and stand alongside such accomplished individuals. As President of the Auburn University Chapter of Golden Key, I enjoyed interacting with faculty in many disciplines, serving as a leader in my community, and promoting the importance of research on campus. I am grateful to the Society for all of those enriching experiences and friendships that I made while in college. Currently, I am finishing my Ph.D. in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program as a Howard Hughes fellow at the Harvard Medical School. My work focuses on gene-environment interaction and how this interplay shapes health and aging. I plan to use this scholarship to continue my education at the Harvard School of Public Health, acquiring additional training and skills in areas like biostatistics, epidemiology, and environmental health. These skills will help me integrate molecular approaches with quantitative methods and population science, through which I can make important contributions to our understanding of the factors affecting human health and aging, as well as propose novel solutions to current public health challenges in at-risk aging populations." |
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| Region 4: Cedric Jeannot - University of Louisville ($1,000) |
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Cedric comments, "I am extremely happy to have won this award, as it comes as recognition after a year of hard work in the society. Golden Key is about giving, but also receiving. To me this award brings personal satisfaction and motivates me to give even more. Regarding the financial aspect, I have not yet decided what to do with it. I will probably save part of it and use the rest to go on vacation and relax." |
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| Region 5: Lauren Reed - University of Michigan-Dearborn ($1,000) |
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Lauren comments, "I plan to use this award to help pay for living expenses and costs of starting my graduate program this fall. Being the president of my chapter of Golden Key was the most rewarding and fun experience I had in college, and I am glad that I could be a part of this influential organization. This award means a lot to me because it is the recognition of hours of effort and time spent striving to better our Golden Key Chapter. Golden Key helped make me a better student and leader, so it is wonderful to be a recipient of this award." |
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| Region 6: Rachel Pierce - University of Arkansas ($1,000) |
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Rachel comments, "It was an honor to be the recipient of the 2009 Student Leader of the Year Award for Region 6. Golden Key has given me the opportunity to develop my leadership skills. I am proud to represent the University of Arkansas and all the hard work our executive team has put into advancing our chapter. I could not have received this award without them. This award will help me fund the expenses of applying to business graduate school." |
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| Region 7: Gary Ferrell - University of New Mexico ($1,000) |
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Gary comments, "I am truly humbled to have received this award. I joined Golden Key in May 2008 and was selected as president of the University of New Mexico chapter. I credit my accomplishments over the last year to having attended the 2008 Golden Key International Conference in New Orleans where I was so inspired that I returned to UNM and applied what I had gained from the conference not only to our Golden Key chapter, but to the other student organizations to which I belong. I will use this award to help offset the costs of the upcoming conference in Orlando, the increase in tuition at UNM and the writing and research of my thesis." |
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| Region 8: Mark Laydon - University of Colorado-Denver ($1,000) |
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Mark comments, "Thanks to Golden Key for this fantastic scholarship! I've been spearheading many events for the University of Colorado Denver chapter and love every minute of working with my chapter officers. The funds are going to help pay for my design and business textbooks. Being in upper division courses is expensive especially since fewer students sell their used books! Regardless, the funding will additionally help independent media projects and theatrical research assignments for my senior year. I can't wait to attend another Region 8 conference!" |
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| Region 9: Jenna Hootstein- University of California-Riverside ($1,000) |
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Jenna comments, "I am very honored to be Golden Key International Honour Society’s Regional Student Leader of the Year. Being part of Golden Key has been an extremely rewarding experience, and I have valued the opportunity to work with my student peers, community leaders, as well as people in need. This award, to me, signifies the importance of reaching out and making tangible, beneficial differences and contributions in the lives of others. It is my hope that members of the USC Golden Key Chapter have had the opportunity to become involved and engaged in mediums that trigger their curiosity and to continue learning in ways that extend far beyond the classrooms’ boundaries. As I prepare to begin law school in the Fall, this honor will serve as a reminder of the vast array of opportunities Golden Key offers its members to excel and achieve not only as students within the academic setting, but as individuals who want to make a distinct and meaningful impact now and in the future." |
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| Region 10: Andrew Wood- University of Vermont ($1,000) |
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Andrew comments, "I graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science this spring. I am currently preparing for my wedding to Amy Young. Following the wedding I will begin working for Conant’s Dairy Farm in Richmond, VT. I am honored and humbled to be awarded the Regional Student Leader of Year. This is a very prestigious award which I am grateful to receive. I will be using the award to pay for expenses that we will incur for the wedding and as we begin our post-collegiate lives. The award is especially beneficial during these tough economic times. I would like to thank the Golden Key International Honour Society for the opportunity for this award. It is greatly appreciated." |