2014 Atlanta Regional Summit Recap

—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.