National Volunteer Week, April 21- 27, 2013, is about “inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities.” Golden Key would like to take time this week to thank all of our wonderful volunteers, whether they be Chapter Advisors, […]
Golden Key has teamed up with Dream Careers for the “Global Internship Initiative.” Through this initiative, Golden Key members receive priority access and a waived application fee to nearly 5,000 of the most coveted internships in 11 cities throughout the world in an effort to increase […]
We have reached out to more professionals and graduate students for advice to students who will be entering the workforce or graduate school. Check out what these alumni have to say and let us know your thoughts.
Part 3:
While I was in graduate school, I tried to read as much publications in technology or business because those two were relevant to both my coursed and my job. I started reading trade journals and learned about things that I was able to apply on some of my courses. So in general, I will advice students to read other publications that you might not normally read because tons of information is all over the place.
–Francis Eleazar
DePaul University, MBA 2011
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Be sure that you network effectively in order to ensure that you don’t miss out on future opportunities. Friends and acquaintances now can become future colleagues and important business connections.
–Richard D. Tomko, Ph.D.
Seton Hall University
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Be willing to explore working for a small company – Benefits are you get exposed to more hands-on type of training since most small businesses use employees in more than one role. As a small business employee you are more likely to be wearing more than one hat.
–Mark Preston Mullins
Ashford University, MBA 2010
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Have patience and the right job will come. You must use your knowledge that you have gain while in school because that will be the career path that you will choose. You must think seriously about why you want to attend graduate school because the decision you make will be with you in your future endeavors. There are many resources that will help them achieve success in graduate school. Use the library, internet and talk to others who have attended grad school and professionals that are in the field that you will be making as your career so that you will have an idea or at least have an idea of what the profession entails. Try to do volunteer work in the field to get a feel of whether or not the career choice that you have chosen is the right one. You must put yourself out there, and learn to market yourself when you are seeking employment. Always make it to your interviews on time and always be professional.
–Michelle Guy
Ashford University
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If there was any advice that I would give to undergraduate students who will soon be entering the workforce or going to graduate school, it would to never give up or never give in and always keep moving forward whether that is continuing education or entering the workforce. One should always strive for greatest and continue gaining knowledge through reading, studying, and real world application. Become a leader in your particular field of study. My personal opinion, because this is the path that I took, is to enter the workforce and continue education. I am currently working on my Doctorate’s while working. Strive for greatness and you will never be sorry or have questions of what could have been years down the road.
–Jeremy A Barker, MBA
Stay tuned to the blog for more advice coming soon.
–This post was written by Danesha Winfrey, President of The University of Memphis chapter of Golden Key.– The Region 2 Summit was held in Memphis, Tennessee from March 1-3, 2013. The night before our Golden Key chapter had a packing party. We gathered a bunch of U of […]
Previously we shared advice from some of our alumni members for students who are planning to enter the workforce or go to graduate school soon. As we all know, life after college can be a very difficult transition, so hopefully some of this advice will give […]
–This post was written by Christina Schroeder, President of The University of South Dakota chapter of Golden Key.–
The Region 6 Summit was held in Minneapolis, MN from March 1-3, 2013. On Saturday, March 2 the people of Minneapolis were driving to work, shopping, visiting family and much more. Beyond the hustle and bustle of the city was our Regional 6 Leadership Summit with many students waiting to unlock their potential. Our Summit was held at the beautiful Hilton hotel. First up was the Opening Session where we were all welcomed.
After meeting other chapters, connecting with them and networking during the Opening Session, we all split into the different workshops. There were two discussions that occurred during each workshop session. For chapters to obtain the most from all that the Summit has to offer, chapters split their members among the discussions for each workshop. “Billhighway Training” or “GK 101” was offered for the first workshop session. 
Each discussion brought up interesting new ideas while also stressing important concepts. After the first workshop, we were offered discussions on “Stress Management” or “Professional Development” in the second workshop session. The workshops included very upbeat and passionate speakers, which I loved. Groups were also involved in several different exercises!
After we were all feeling stress-free or professionally stronger, we were provided a two-hour break to enjoy lunch out in the city of Minneapolis. During the break, many found themselves at the Mall of America, Chevy’s and other varying restaurants. Afterwards we all joined to discuss our chapters’ events. Chapters presented many excellent ideas and it was a great way for chapters to understand what to do and stay connected. We then had a group photo (remember your cameras for this). Then, it was time for the third workshop session. The discussions offered were “The Princeton Review” and “Service Learning—Better World Books.” The Princeton Review covered GRE testing and provided students with a GRE study manual. During the service session, we learned great ways to build character and many interesting concepts concerning Better World Books were also presented.
Following the final workshop session, Chapter Presidents attended the President Roundtable while other members were offered a break to view the city and prepare for the closing dinner. I attended the President Roundtable, which was extremely helpful. We all joined together to discuss how we individually run our chapters. With advice from several different chapters, we learned methods in keeping our chapters involved and creating an organization which all students will want to engage in. We left the roundtable with new ideas and concepts resounding in our minds.
Following the break, supper finally arrived during our Closing Dinner; it was delicious! Next we heard from Kelly Groehler, the Keynote Speaker. She is the Director of Operations – Communications and Public Affairs at Best Buy. After our wonderful, inspirational keynote speaker, we exchanged t-shirts to help broaden our networks and stay connected with other chapters. Throughout the three-day weekend, each chapter had one-on-one meetings with our Associate Director Kiandra Jones. Meeting with our most reliable associate for anything GK related is a great way to improve connection and understanding of Golden Key. We discussed our goals for our chapter and what we needed to work on. We discussed how we were planning to better our chapter and what events we were planning. Meeting Kiandra helps bring the potential of chapters to reality.
I had a wonderful time at Summit! Overall, this event is very important to create relationships and relight the spark for each chapter leader so we can continue to host amazing events!
The “I Stand For” video series is designed to showcase all the causes and values that Golden Key members stand for. The seventh video in our series is titled “Global Stand | Community Service.” In this video, you can see an overview of the Global […]
–This post was written by Nikki Vega, VP of Member Communication at California State University, San Bernardino.– The Region 9 Summit was held at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Arizona March 1-3, 2013. Flagstaff is 7,000 feet above sea level! Talk about the cold, thin […]
Graduating from college is both an exciting and scary time. Whether you will be entering the workforce for the first time or going to graduate school, there are many challenges to face and much learning ahead.
We reached out to some of our Golden Key alumni to give advice to students who will soon be entering the workforce or going to graduate school. These professionals and graduate students work and study in a variety of fields and industries.
In part 1, we will share some of the best responses:
It is very important to remain grounded and try to see the whole picture, and by whole picture I mean your life goals and dreams. It is very important to make goals and to keep in mind that things don’t always go smoothly, for one reason or another. First off, remember your self-worth, there is only one of each of us and that in itself makes you special. Secondly, do not make graduate school or work an indicator of your abilities or value. Finally, the third thing is to have your plan, being moving in the direction you want, and do the best you are capable of. Do not let bumps in the road take your eyes off the big picture.
–David Lollis
Graduated with a Masters degree from Texas Tech University in 2011
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My advice to undergraduates entering the workforce, especially the field of education, would be to find a mentor. Whether your job provides ones for you or not, partner up with a veteran in the field and learn all that you can. Also, stay abreast of the lastest trends in your fields by joining blogs, reading articles and attending conferences. Lastly, with everybody getting advanced degrees, to be able to move up the ladder you have to network and make your presence known, so people will know your name and face. Always do your job so well that they will have a difficult time replacing you and let your work precede you.
–Hope Solomon Frye
Albany State University
B.S. Early Childhood Education 2002
M.Ed. Early Childhood Education 2011
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For students who are entering the workforce, my advice is for them to develop a firm self-discipline. College provides you a host of tools that will be useful in your career, but most of the things that will keep you successful is something that you have to learn on the job, or something that you have to be creative enough to make it to your own. You must always be willing to go the extra mile and have the attitude to allow yourself to flourish in a team environment.
For those going to graduate school, the main thing is to develop a good routine that will balance a rewarding life and success within your studies. Be imaginative and explore new ways to do things. In addition, try to build a relationship with your classmates and the faculty because a lot of the learning can be through interaction and mentorship.
–Francis Eleazar
DePaul University, MBA 2011
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Since you will be joining the workforce soon, I recommend that you:
1. Start a portfolio of your work that includes projects, papers, pictures, your resume and your awards and accomplishments.
2. Join a professional organization in your field.
3. If you have a specific company that you want to work for, call them and ask for an informational interview or volunteer a couple hours in the week now so when you land that interview with them, they will already know you and how good you are.
–Denise M. Joseph
University of Maryland, College Park
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I would recommend that all students getting ready for grad school begin the process of evaluating what their strengths and weaknesses are, so that when they begin their graduate studies, they are fully prepared to start eliminating their weaknesses, therefore making them more well rounded professionals that are capable of appealing to a larger market. For those students getting ready to enter the workforce, remember that you have spent several years investing in studies. Do not undersell yourselves; rather, develop a doctrine of equitability in your business ventures. Do not accept something that you will forever regret; instead, make sure it is the right decision in the long term, resulting in an equitable arrangement for everyone involved.
–Evan Benjamin
Duke, D.M.A.
Stay tuned to the blog for more advice.
Looking for an opportunity to travel abroad and meet other Golden Key members? Golden Key’s University of Central Florida chapter is offering members an amazing opportunity to participate in our fifth annual Service Learning experience in Costa Rica August 11 -18, 2013. Service includes volunteering […]
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