The recipients are:

• Cheryl Geliebter*, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, United States (*Top ranked winner receiving $20,000)
• Ashley Wood, American University, United States
• Quoc “Ricky” Tran, George Mason University, United States
• Kevin Fisher, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, United States
• Necola Charles, University of the Virgin Islands-St. Croix, United States
• Amber Herman, Iowa State University, United States
• Narayan Khatri, University of Houston, United States
• Jennie Ding, The University of British Columbia, Canada
• Muhammed Ismail, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• Gerald Chikosi, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa

Congratulations to the winners!

Here’s what a few of the winners had to say upon receiving the award…

“It is great honor to be named the “Top Ranked” applicant of the 2013 Graduate Scholar Award, Spring Selection. Receiving recognition for my commitment to academics, service and leadership—values that I share with Golden Key—means so much to me and is incredibly encouraging. This award will help pay for my tuition at the New School, where I am earning an MFA in creative writing with a concentration in writing for children. It will also enable me to not only assist with service projects in and around my hometown of Brooklyn, New York, but to also continue participating in international projects.” -Cheryl Geliebter

“I am very humbled and extremely honored to be the recipient of the Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award. I will be starting my Doctor of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University in August and this scholarship will definitely help me to finance my education. As a foreign student coming from Vietnam just over 4 years ago, I am deeply grateful for all opportunities that Golden Key has provided me. I hope I can show Golden Key members that anything is possible as long as you dare to dream big, work hard and never give up. My experience would not be the same without being a member of this prestigious organization.” -Ricky Tran

“I am wholeheartedly grateful to be a recipient of the Spring 2013 Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award. I believe that this award is acknowledgment of my sincerest efforts in the areas of academia, leadership and service. This acknowledgment is tangible in that it relieves the debt of my previous studies in chemistry and will lift the financial burden of my PhD study in medicinal inorganic chemistry. It also illustrates great acclaim to the university as well as myself. The Graduate Scholar Award  not only provides me a platform to become an excellent researcher, but also allows me to continue service work in my hometown (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) as the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Golden Key chapter president.” -Muhammed Bilaal Ismail

The ninth video in our series is titled “2012 International Summit.”  In this video, Summit attendees describe all the fun happenings at the event held in Atlanta, GA in July of 2012.

2012 International Summit:

Want to know more about the 2012 International Summit? Read the recap here! The International Summit is a bi-annual event, with the next event taking place in Boston, MA from 31 July 2014- 3 August 2014. Find out more about the upcoming Summit here.

For more videos, visit Golden Key’s YouTube channel.

Where are you from? I was born in Tampa, Florida and have lived all over the east coast. I call my “home” Fort Mill, SC.

Where did you go to college? Clemson (go Tigers!)

What did you study in school/ major in? Communication and Legal Studies

What are some of the things you were involved in, in college? Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, Pre Law Society, Women’s Leadership Conference, NSCS

What are your hobbies? I love spending time with my family and friends. I am a huge “crafter” even though I have very little artistic ability.

What is your favorite quote? “What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.”

What is your favorite sport? College Football

What is your favorite movie, TV show, band/singer, and/or song? My favorite movies are Heart and Souls, Forrest Gump and Mary Poppins. My favorite TV show is Downton Abbey. My favorite singer is Adam Levine and my favorite song is “Imagine” by John Lennon.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Julie Andrews or Adam Levine

What is the #1 most played song on your iPod? Call Me Al by Paul Simon

What website or blog to you go to everyday? I love Pinterest. I also love PostSecret- but it is only updated on Sundays.

What excites you the most about working at Golden Key? Working with new students and volunteers across my region!

Fun Fact? Channing Tatum (actor from Step Up, Magic Mike, Dear John) was my babysitter when I was little!

Connect with Jordan on Facebook and Twitter.

This year, Golden Key member Maggie O’Neill was one of 23 Boston College students and alumni to receive the J. William Fulbright Grant. Maggie intends to use the grant to travel to Germany to teach English. Maggie recently graduated magna cum laude, double majoring in German and International Studies. During her tenure at Boston College, she served as a group leader in the International Assistant Program and was on the executive board of the BC German Club. She was also named a College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Scholar, as well as inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key International Honour Society. Upon the end of her Fulbright year, Maggie intends to pursue a career in educational policy.

The Fulbright Program was established upon the end of World War II to promote mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and other countries across the globe. In an attempt to foster such understanding, highly competitive, merit-based grants are awarded to students, teachers, etc. in order to study, research or exercise their talents abroad. This program is currently operating in 150+ countries worldwide.

Part 5:

If an undergraduate student is particularly interested in going to graduate school, one of the best resources having that initial conversation with their undergraduate advisors regarding their interests and career ideas. Secondly, I would recommend connecting them with a current graduate student that is doing something similar to what they would like to do. Sitting down and having those conversations can be important first steps in that decision making process. Beyond that I would say browsing the website of the department they might be interested in joining as a potential graduate student would also be a good first step. There they can view graduate application requirements and deadlines for applying. Some departments offer a non-thesis masters degree or may not require needing to take the GRE’s for example. If, however, they are interested in a program that does require those items, I would tell them not to let that intimidate them or detour them from graduate school. Rome was not built in a day and neither is a thesis. It too is a process that is built over time with a lot of support from fellow graduate students and professors. Graduate school can be intense at times, but I love and have a passion for what I am doing and am excited because I am working towards accomplishing my goals and where I want to be in a career.

If a student has already been accepted into graduate school, I would first say, “Congratulations!” and then suggest for them to network with other graduate students for the support they will need along the way. Graduate school is lifestyle change and it can be stressful at times, but it can also be manageable. Some of the things that have helped me have been peer mentoring and staying organized.  For example, I make lists and schedule time for not only homework and assistantship duties etc. but also for myself. Graduate school can easily become overwhelming and it is important to continue doing something enjoyable outside of school activities. Eating healthy and getting enough sleep are also important tools to fuel your mind and body for fulfilling the requirements of graduate school. Something to keep in mind, however, is that two to five years may sound like a long time, but it is still only temporary. Keeping an eye on the future and where you want to be is important and motivating. One final note would be that you are a “resource” yourself! You come with unique knowledge, experience, and perspective; all of which will help you through graduate school.

– Sarah Bickelhaupt, M.S.
Iowa State University

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I would suggest becoming best friends with your student services counselor.  She/he will be the one you can go to for all your operational and logistical questions regarding technology, books, career services, library resources, graduation requirements, course requirements, and any other issues that may arise during your tenure with the graduate school.  Your student advisor is your best friend.  Preparation for classes is half the battle!  Don’t start a class EVER, without having the course requirements, books, course syllabus and contact information for professors and facilitators.

Connect with campus resources like networking events.  Networking won’t help you get a better grade, only you and your self-determination will get you an A, but networking will help you to feel a sense of belonging and connection with the school you’ll be calling your alma mater for the rest of your life!  That is HUGE!  Your fellow graduate students, professors, and facilitators may help you to get a job one day, so it is best to start connecting with them now!  Take advantage of office hours of professors and facilitators.  These instructors are a wealth of knowledge, and being able to sit down and talk with them about course material and assignments is priceless.  These professors will also remember your enthusiasm and engagement when it is time for them to assign a grade to your transcript.  Most employers nowadays require transcripts from all schools.  Gone is the day where you could just put your degree on your resume.  Employers want official transcripts and grades, so it is best to do your best in all of your classes.  Your future employer will see how highly your professor thought of you!

Make good use of an electronic filing system on your laptop of all your classes and papers.  Your weekly assignments are a wealth of information about your work, and when applying for jobs, many employers ask for writing samples.  Your writing/research portfolio can be directly pulled from your graduate school assignments, and easily accessible through your electronic filing system.  Again, preparation is half the battle.

If you have extra time during graduate school, try to pick up a small 10-hour a week research job with a professor or local company/business that you may be able to become connected with from the career services department of your graduate school.  You can always add the job to your resume, and it will provide you with another additional reference that can vouch for your work.  Many professors have their own consulting businesses, and are willing to hire graduate students to help them with research for their own publications.  It’s invaluable experience.  Most graduate schools have an extensive network of alumni who only hire fellow alumni, so make sure to sign up for job posts and list serves even while taking classes!

If your grad school schedules time outside of the classroom to meet with other executives who are working in jobs that you hope to have some day, take advantage of the time to meet with them also to ask questions about their work.  Ask pointed situational questions about how they handle specific professional situations, not just, “What is your day like?”  When you’re in the real world, sometimes you only have a few seconds to make an important decision that may have tremendous impact on the organization and your job.  Asking these executives about how they handle crisis or an ethical dilemma is wise in preparing yourself for your job after you graduate.  Learning from other executives’ mistakes and successes is also a wise way to prepare yourself for your career after graduation, while taking advantage of the resources that your grad school makes available to you.

Your grad school’s classmates, professors, staff, facilitators and other University personnel are the greatest resources.  Make of network of people throughout your grad school experience that can help you along the way, see you through to your graduation, and continue to encourage you on your career path.  And they need you too, so remember you are a resource to them as well!

Good luck to you all!

–Kerry O’Brien Smith
George Washington University, Graduate School of Political Management, 2012

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Miss any of the series? Click for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

Here you will find highlights of some Golden Key employees in action and making a difference!

The Sandtown Vikings football team.

Chris Yarbrough, Associate Direct Mail Manager:
I am the Defensive Coordinator for the Sandtown Vikings football team made up of a group of 11 year olds. I have been coaching the same team since the boys were 7 years old. Coaching is not only fun, but also extremely rewarding! Our first year we were 5-5 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Our second year we were undefeated and won the championship. The following year, when the boys were 9 years old, we went undefeated again but lost in the championship. Last year we went 7-3 and lost in the third round of the playoffs, but we got a special treat and played in the Georgia Dome after the Carolina/Falcons game. We hope to follow-up this year with a championship win! The Hit Squad!!

The girls at their final race.

Lenora Oeters, US Chapter Development Manager:
This year I have had the opportunity to volunteer with an organization called “Girls on the Run.”  This program inspires young girls to be healthy, confident and happy using an experience-based curriculum that integrates running.  This 12-week program culminates with a 5k race, where the girls get to show off their skills!  I coached a group of 3rd-5th grade girls and was able to see their transformation not only with their fitness skills, but also their personal well-being.  It was an amazing experience and I will be coaching another group this fall!

Members of the Johnson Ferry Women’s Ministry.

Holly McCaleb, Director of US University Relations:
For the past two years, I have served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Johnson Ferry Baptist Church Women’s Ministry Annual Christmas Event in early December.  I volunteered throughout the event for five years before being asked to serve as the lead.  The event invites over 500 women to listen to a prominent guest speaker and musician while enjoying a fabulous meal and taking in all of the amazingly decorated Christmas tables.  The event also brings in financial donations, clothes, gift cards, and the like  for local community non-profit organizations.

C.J. at a Project Live Love event.

C.J. Wilkes, Associate Marketing and Communications Manager:
In October of 2010, I heard about a group of people meeting up in downtown Atlanta on a night that was below freezing to take blankets, hand warmers, hats and gloves to people who would be spending the night outside and I decided to go along with them. This became known as Project Live Love’s Three-Oh-We-Go program and has grown substantially since 2010. In addition, Project Live Love has two other programs that I have been able to participate in over the course of the past two years, the Live Love Event and the Live Love Experience. It’s an organization that has given me the opportunity to learn and put into action some key foundational perspectives of what I believe life is truly about.

Julie & a friend delivering meals for Project Open Hand.

Julie Feingold, Associate Digital Marketing & Communications Manager:
I tend to vary the community service projects I participate in. My favorite one I did recently was delivering nutritious, prepared meals to people with chronic or terminal illnesses and homebound seniors for Project Open Hand Atlanta.  The recipients were very appreciate of us taking the time to deliver the food and it was cool to learn about the organization.  Other projects I’ve done recently include volunteering at a few different animal shelters, helping out at a local non-profit museum’s art event, and painting the outside of a house for a low-income senior with HouseProud Atlanta. I found many of the community service opportunities through Community Bucket in Atlanta.

As you can see Golden Key employees are inspired by our community and its various needs. Now we want to hear what inspires you. What service projects do you love participating in? Share your a memory of a service project that was especially rewarding for you.

The eighth video in our series is titled “Why Golden Key.”  In this video, members across the globe share why joining Golden Key was a positive decision for their future success.

Why Golden Key:

For more videos, visit our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/GKIHS1977.

Are there any resources you can recommend to students to help them achieve success in graduate school?

Here’s the advice we received…

Part 4:

I strongly advise undergraduate students to talk to family members, parents of their friends, their community and others to develop a support network.  Secondly, I will embolden students to obtain internships (whether paid or unpaid/local, international). Third, have personal and professional mentors/coaches. Lastly, to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis for themselves, so they will know what areas they need to develop, hone and be aware of.

– Sherry M. Hunter
Doctoral Candidate, DePaul University

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My three pieces of advice are to know the APA 6th edition, make sure to always give yourself at least 30 to 60 extra minutes for each written assignment, and embrace peer review as a way to improve your writing and research.

–Mark Preston Mullins
Ashford University, MBA 2010

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One of my favorite resources that I used as a supplement to accounting courses is: http://www.accountingcoach.com/

–Debra Hall
Georgia Southern University, MBA 2010

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I have found three resources to be very helpful as a graduate student.  Your academic advisor who can help answer various questions you have, your instructors, and any contacts you have in professional positions in the field you are studying.  I routinely contacted all three (many times they might get 2-3 emails a week from me) and I had all the resources I need, opened some new doors, never fell behind, and was very successful in my academic career.  I did not follow this advice when I was an undergrad, and it shows!

–George Long
American Military University 2011 and 2013

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My advice in regards to resources for success in graduate school is to choose your major wisely!  Visit the college, look for statistics of employment with that major; study the professors and any financial aide you can and understand why you are going to grad school; do some soul searching before you commit your time.  Also: scholarships are your friend!  You need to maintain a high GPA so study study study.  Join associations and attend conferences during your first year and spend your second year hanging out in the career center.  You will most likely meet great people who will have first hand information on job openings; you will most likely attend job search functions sponsored by employers; and if you are lucky you will catch the eye of an employer and have a job once you graduate!   Great resources in my experience are my professors and their connections and the career center and their connections.  They are there to help you; with this economy you will need as much help as you can get.  I was also told something that rings true today, “if you are out and about in public dress as if you are casually meeting a potential employer and if you can make some sort of creative business card to hand them, you are really on top of your game!”  Last note, if you not burnt out on a thesis/comp exams…a PhD is a good option.  Good luck out there!

–Christina S. Tillman
Bowie State University, M.A. 2010

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I found the article database Scifinder a very helpful resource while in graduate school.

–Laura Parke

University of Utah ’09

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Resources in graduate school are not given to a student in full. Students need to seek out resources that are personalized to their situations. Discuss with professors their situations and how they can succeed in their field of studies. Most professors have been in several different positions prior to their appointments in an educational institution. The professors might be aware of other connections who exist in the field, and that could lead to a working relationship in the future.

Get involved! Even if the organization is not related to the students field of studies, this experience might have the potential to expand their horizons in terms of meeting others and growing their mental abilities in ways that might not have occurred if the student didn’t get involved. Student government, community relations, town volunteerism, sporting events, and other experiences could help the student grow in ways other than the studies might offer. A school career center is an option. Visit them and see what they have to offer. The Federal Government has a long list of websites that can help a person succeed in finding what is best for them. USA.GOV is a great resource for anyone who has questions about almost anything. To summarize, make yourself available in all different ways and meet as many people as possible, because one thing could lead to another!

–Andrew J. Vernon, M.Ed.
University of Maine 2010

Stay tuned to the blog for more advice.

The Region 8 Summit was held at the Metropolitan State University of Denver in Denver, Colorado April 5-7th 2013.  The Metropolitan State University is located on Auraria Campus, which is the home to two other institutions: The Community College of Denver and the University of Colorado at Denver. Delegates from Region 8 chapters stayed at the Springhill Suites by Marriott, which is located right on Auraria campus.  This hotel opened in the fall of 2012 and is unique in that it offers a modern and upscale lodging choice to visitors of Denver, while serving as an extensive learning laboratory for the hospitality students on Auraria campus. This Summit welcomed attendees from Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, North and South Carolina, and of course, Colorado.

Day 1: Upon arrival, delegates registered at the hotel and spent some time settling in and getting to know each other.  Everyone was asked to wear something representing their school. We all then reconvened in the beautiful Tivoli building to enjoy a welcome dinner.  We were honored to have Harriett Watkins and Dr. Antonio Ledesma as our keynote speakers at the welcome dinner.  After dinner, delegates were escorted to the Art Walk on Santa Fe.  This is a free event that happens on the first Friday of every month where art galleries and shops along the historic Santa Fe drive open late to showcase art and music.

Day 2: We began Day 2 with breakfast in the lobby of the hotel.  After breakfast and late registration we headed over to one of the classrooms on campus.  We received the headquarters update from our Regional Director, John Dingfelder, and then split up into our breakout sessions.  There were three sets of sessions.  The sessions that were offered ranged from finding out what your leadership style is to building a fool-proof resume.  In between our break out sessions we took a break for lunch in the historic Tivoli Center which is the student union on the Auraria campus that each university shares.  During our meal Dr. Hal Miller, the region 8 Council of Advisors representative, gave an energetic and motivating speech on how the pillar of leadership affects us as Golden Key officers and members.  He explained that how we develop in our roles will affect our transition to life after college. The remainder of breakout session resumed after lunch.

We had special guest speakers during the Summit service project.  The delegates gathered and brought their donations for a local non-profit we decided to support: Urban Peak. Two representatives from Urban Peak came and spoke to the delegates about what they do and how they can help once they get home.  The present members then tied together fleece to create blankets to donate to the agency.  After the blankets were made, the delegates had free time until dinner.

We all got dressed up and headed back to the Tivoli for our closing dinner.  This dinner included great food, acknowledgements and a special keynote address from W. Scott Lewis, JD and partner for NCHREM, systems-level solutions for safer schools and campuses.  After dinner, the delegates were free to explore Denver and get to know each other before they left in the morning.

Day 3: Day 3 only left enough time for breakfast; one-on-ones with Headquarters representatives John Dingfelder and Melissa Decell who sat with a representative from each school to discuss future plans, any questions and information pertaining to chapter standards. And finally it was time for our goodbyes.

The Summit was an incredible experience and I know that everyone involved has been strengthened.  I am grateful to have been a part of this event and I look forward to reading about more successful Golden Key events in the future.

The deadline for Chapter Standards and Key Chapter Award submissions is June 1, 2013*! 

*Note: This deadline has been extended to June 4, 2013. This Chapter Standards reporting deadline is only applicable to chapters in the U.S. and Canada.