-This post was written by Liliana Zubia, Golden Key University of Texas at El Paso Chapter President- Regions 7 and 9 headed to west Texas for the 2014 Regional Summit from February 21-23. The annual meeting was hosted by the University of Texas at El […]
—This post was written by Haley Wadley, vice president of the University of Wyoming chapter— From March 14-16, Region 8 held their Regional Summit at 7,200 feet in Laramie, Wyoming! Members from around the region gathered together to participate in an adventurous weekend that would turn […]
—This post was written by Danesha Winfrey, Council of Student Members (CoSM) for U.S. Region 2, The University of Memphis—
Friday, 28 February 2014
Golden Key’s Regions 2 and 3 teamed together for our Regional Summit this year at Georgia State University, which is where Golden Key was born thirty-six years ago! Therefore, this Summit was indeed a special one. First, registration kicked off at the Hilton Downtown Atlanta and we also had chapter meetings with our respective Associate Director. Inside of the inviting Student Center, we were given a warm welcome by the panthers of Georgia State University.
We started out with our mixer and our welcome message from Brad Rainey, Golden Key Executive Director. He informed us on how Golden Key International Honour Society uses its funds effectively and how many hours we have contributed to service, among other valuable announcements. We are proud to be part of an honor society that gives more to its students than many other honor societies. Our night continued with a keynote address from Gala Jackson, M.Ed. – she is an entrepreneur and owner of InterviewSnob, a thriving career consulting boutique in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Jackson has been featured in U.S. News and World Report and she has won awards in résumé writing. Ms. Jackson spoke of how young individuals can accomplish their goals and that they should not be afraid of taking risks. Her tagline challenges its readers to “passionately pursue your purpose!” Her lecture also focused on the value of networking, as well as helpful anecdotes on how to network effectively. Regions 2 and 3 formed relationships with one another and with their respective Golden Key chapters.
We took candid pictures and had a successful icebreaker session lead by Mariko Antonacci, the chapter president of Georgia State University and U.S. Region 3 CoSM, and Pedro, the chapter’s service director; we all then seemed to loosen up. After that, it was time to eat! We had a wonderful mixer and we again had a chance to network with other chapters. There were chapters that traveled a lengthy way to attend our Regional Summit, such as members from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico chapters. We even had a chapter member from Nebraska attend! Although he is not in Region 1 or 2, he chose to attend our Summit. We thank him and all of our members who attended our Regional Summit!
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Our big day was just that: big. We started the morning with a breakfast and late registration. We then had our HQ update from Mr. Rainey in the Speaker’s Auditorium of Georgia State University’s Student Center. Shereen Ashtiani, Region 3’s Associate Director, and Traci Gordon, Region 2’s Associate Director, then gave us important tips on our deadlines, informed and reminded us of event assessment completion, and relayed other pertinent facts related to Golden Key.
At that point, it was time for our workshops! The content of Workshop Session I ranged from chapter fundraising tactics to GIN System navigation to how to successfully conduct community service projects. There were new officers in the midst of transitions to different positions within Regions 2 and 3 and the workshops aided the transitioning. Workshop Session II informed the chapter officers and members of how to market Golden Key on campus and the University of Miami, a Key chapter, discussed how to “Be Good, Be Well, Be Golden.” Golden Key officers and members also learned about officer retention, increasing member participation, business etiquette, marketing plans and the Golden Key 101 basics. The workshops were the excellent and we were only halfway done!
Of course, we needed sustenance and we had Subway sandwiches in the Student Center Lobby to satisfy this! chapters did not relegate themselves to sitting with people they already new— everyone mingled. We then attended our afternoon workshops and roundtables, which were just as informative as the morning sessions.
Workshop Session III consisted of a GK 101 discussion, an informative Billhighway session, virtual chapter engagement, and an educational workshop about Women, Leadership and Professional Development. The final session, Workshop IV, boasted of the power of collaboration, service event planning, fostering or continuing a relationship with Better World Books and discussions at the Advisor Roundtable. This session shared information on conducting a successful service event and the roles of officers, advisors, and collaborators, as well as information about Better World Books and how a chapter can successfully conduct a book drive.
Our sessions ended with officer roundtables consisting of building a strong Golden Key chapter– one for the chapter Presidents and Vice Presidents and one for officers and general members. Chapter leaders at the Presidents’ and Vice Presidents’ Roundtable shared ideas on engaging honorary members, high school students, and college freshman. Chapter leaders at this roundtable also discussed scholarships, the point system and signature events! The chapter officer and general member roundtable discussed components of building a strong Golden Key chapter that involves member engagement, service activities and keys to leadership.
The workshops and roundtables were highly informative and engaging. And, our host chapter, Georgia State University, was most gracious. We posed for a group photo at the Unity Plaza, had chapter meetings with our respective Associate Director and then looked forward to the closing dinner!
Our closing dinner was held at Veteran’s Memorial Hall. We enjoyed a southern cuisine of turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, collards and macaroni and cheese. We also enjoyed an introduction from Mr. Brad Rainey of our Keynote Speaker, Dr. TJ Murphy. Dr. Murphy is a faculty member of Emory University and he has guided many students to successful careers.
Dr. Murphy shared his insight on Graduate School and taking the thoughtful approach of seeking a post-baccalaureate degree program that is aligned with a student’s qualifications, as well as a school that can adequately cultivate a student’s passions and qualifications. Of this passionate approach to helping students unlock their best potential, was gradschoolmatch.com created by Dr. Murphy. We ended the closing dinner with a candy bar, photo booth, dog-tag pressing, networking, laughter and dancing.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
The morning of the last day of Summit consisted of breakfast and our chapter meetings with our respective Associate Directors. We also participated in our service project: donating toiletry items for the Metro Atlanta Task Force! We said our farewells and wished everyone a safe trip back to their respective states and territories. Here’s to a successful Regional Summit 2014 from the school where Golden Key was founded: Georgia State University!
Don’t miss the Golden Key 2014 International Summit from 31 July – 3 August in Boston. For more information and to register, visit www.is.gd/summit14.
Make A Difference Day brought millions of people together on October 26, 2013 to help better our communities. All Golden Key chapters in the United States and Canada were encouraged to participate in this day of service. Golden Key chapters participated in 101 Make A Difference […]
Cincinnati Bell, the leading telecommunications company in the city of Cincinnati, OH, has announced that, as of October 1, 2013, Leigh R. Fox has assumed the position of chief financial officer for the company. Fox, a Golden Key honorary member and member of the Board […]
Last year, Golden Key International Honour Society hosted its 8th annual South Africa Summit in Cape Town. Amongst the Golden Key members, alumni, advisors and honorary members in attendance, twenty of them receive travel grants to attend the conference. We would like to highlight these travel grant winners and their experiences while attending the South Africa Summit in Cape Town. 
To kick off our South Africa Summit Travel Grant winners, we like to start with Chinwe Oriji, a Golden Key member from Rutgers University who is currently pursuing his MPhil in Modern Society and Global Transformations at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
What originally attracted you to the South Africa Summit?
I knew attending the summit would help me improve as a leader that serves others since that was the focus of the summit. My ultimate goal in life is to use my life to serve others in need, and one way I strive to do this is through an international prison rehabilitation project that a team of us is planning. The project is called the I.AM.YOU project, and it is based in Cape Town, South Africa. Therefore, I knew attending the summit will help me gain an understanding of how to develop the project and also meet amazing speakers who can provide advice for the project.
Was the culture different from what you’re used to? What was your most memorable experience?
I studied at the University of Cape Town in 2012. There was a bit of a culture shock then in a positive way. I felt welcome. I felt like I belonged. It truly is a beautiful array of cultures in Cape Town. I was very excited to return for the Summit and experience this wonderful environment again.
The most memorable part of the conference was meeting the amazing students that attended the conference. I thrived off of their ambition and desire to serve their community.
Unexpectedly, I met a student who was also chosen as a travel grant winner. He then told me he was going to the University of Cambridge, as well. It was great to know that I was going to already have a friend when I arrived in Cambridge in October. That is what the summit does- it allows students to share ideas, build friendships and leave revived to follow our passion.
What was the most valuable thing you learned about yourself personally and professionally from the conference?
One major thing I learned was that if my life is solely about me than I am not truly living. The speakers at the summit lived a life of service. They had a vision and a purpose. It spurred questions within me like, “How can my life be used to help others? What is my vision and am I following this vision?” That’s when I knew that my desires and passion we’re in the right place. I know my vision to become a professor, work in non-profit and create more community service projects was a life that was meant to be living; a vision that was meant to be pursued.
Would you recommend attending Summits to other members?
I will definitely recommend Golden Key Summits to others! You will be inspired and encouraged to continue to live a life of purpose. You meet amazing people that you can’t meet anywhere else. You will hear the stories of very accomplished individuals that you can connect with. This South Africa Summit was wonderful and I just want to say thank you so much Golden Key for allowing me to attend. It meant so much to me. It truly pushed me to be a better me and pursue my vision. Thank you for believing in me!
Golden Key’s next International Summit will be held in Boston, Massachusetts from July 31 through August 3, 2014. If you are interested in attending, please apply for the Golden Key 2014 International Summit Travel Grant. These travel grants will be awarded to 450 members in the amount of $500 USD for members in North America and $1,000 USD for members outside of North America.
We would like to recognize North Dakota State University for being a Key Chapter for the 2012-2013 academic year. One of the North Dakota State University chapter‘s more notable events was their Read for the Record initiative, which highlights the importance of early childhood education […]
We would like to highlight Stony Brook University for being named a Key Chapter for the 2012-2013 academic year for their incredible involvement of the Stony Brook campus and abundance of accomplishments in the areas of academics, leadership and service. The Stony Brook Golden Key […]
Yesterday we announced the winners of the 2013 Chapter Facebook Contest. Today we would like to feature how the winning chapters made it happen!
The University of Florida chapter is the winner of category 1 (meaning they had more than 250 likes on the chapter Facebook page before the contest started). This chapter increased their likes by an astounding 358 new people! At the end of the contest, they had a total of 1,482 people that like their chapter Facebook page.
The University of Florida chapter was quite clever in their strategy to get more people to like the page. They held a contest of their own where anyone who liked the page and wrote on the wall would have the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Florida-Tennessee home football game on September 21. They even brought their laptops to an information table so people could log onto their Facebook pages and like the page right on the spot. Gaines Hayes, the chapter’s Honorary Members Liaison Officer, explained, “We thought that free football tickets this would be a good incentive to grab people’s attention. After that we decided to do six more random drawings for various $5 gift cards.” And, they didn’t just stop at getting more likes… they have increased the content posted on the page and varied the types of content to keep people involved and interested. Congratulations to The University of Florida chapter!
The University of Alberta chapter is the winner of category 2 (meaning they had 100-249 likes on the chapter Facebook page before the contest started). This chapter increased their likes by an exceptional 239 new people! At the end of the contest, they had a total of 387 people that have liked their chapter Facebook page.
The University of Alberta chapter hit the ground running and advertised their Facebook page during Clubs Fair and Orientation Week, as well as during a Meet and Greet Event that introduced new and returning members to the current executive board. Similar to The University of Florida, they also provided an incentive– the chance to win a Visa gift card for liking the page. They saw a very large increase following this incentive announcement. They continued to update the Facebook page with new events and reminders related to the Golden Key chapter, which will be crucial for keeping their fan base. Great job!
The chapter at Western Kentucky University is the winner of category 3 (meaning they had 30-99 likes on the chapter Facebook page before the contest started). This chapter increased their likes by an impressive 169 new people! At the end of the contest, they had a total of 268 people that have liked their chapter Facebook page.
The WKU chapter’s strategy was to promote, promote, promote. Members and officers handed out Dum Dum lollipops that had a tag attached that said “Like us on Facebook – WKU Golden Key.” Members reached out to their Facebook friends asking them to like the page and spread the word. The chapter explained that if they won that they would put their winnings towards their T-Shirt and Book Drive to benefit local schools.
The Appalachian State University chapter is the winner of category 4 (meaning they had less than 30 likes on the chapter Facebook page before the contest started). The App State chapter is a brand new chapter to Golden Key. They started the contest off with a new Facebook page that didn’t have any likes. The chapter gained 111 new likes during the contest!
The chapter heavily promoted the new page to the new members. They also reached out to their friends and colleagues within the institution and beyond. “We have grown so much as a brand new chapter and we hope that we continue to increase our number of likes beyond this Facebook contest submission,” said chapter president Travis Roberts.
Our congratulations go out again to the winning chapters. We know they will put their $500 winnings toward great things for the chapter.
To continue with the 2012-2013 Key Chapter blog series, we would like to acknowledge the University of the Virgin Islands- St. Thomas chapter for being a recipient of such. The Golden Key chapter participated in sixty events that related to academics, leadership and service. During […]
