Year: 2017

Golden Key International Honour Society Celebrates its Fortieth Anniversary

Golden Key International Honour Society Celebrates its Fortieth Anniversary

Back in 1977, a group of students had a vision for a new kind of campus organization – an honor society that would empower high–achieving students to become future world leaders.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal Recognizes Golden Key on its 40th Anniversary

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal Recognizes Golden Key on its 40th Anniversary

On our 40th Anniversary, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal gave us the gift of commending our members and recognizing the Society. Thank you to our entire GK family for your hard work and dedication to Golden Key. Click here to see the scanned Proclamation!  Here’s to […]

Adnan Bokhari: Humanitarian, Activist, Golden Key Supporter

Adnan Bokhari: Humanitarian, Activist, Golden Key Supporter

Adnan Bokhari has been Chairman of Golden Key’s Board of Directors since August 2016. He is also Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Prosperity Now, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing economic inequality in the United States.
Adnan now resides with his family just outside Washington, DC, and loves life there. Yet he began his life far from our nation’s capital. His story is inspiring, as you will learn in these excerpts from a recent conversation we enjoyed with him.
Adnan Bokhari headshot
What can you tell us about your childhood?
Adnan Bokhari: I grew up in Lahore, Pakistan, where I attended a very prestigious school, Aitchison College, from grade one all the way through secondary school. The school was founded in 1886 by Sir Charles Aitchison, who was the British Governor of the Punjab, to educate the children of the higher classes.
 
But I sense from your tone of voice that you were not from one of those privileged families?
Adnan Bokhari: My father came from very meager circumstances, yet he was able to become a lawyer and then appointed judge of the Punjab high court by the then Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto. And to be a judge in Pakistan was really something.
As a young man, he had a great mathematical mind. When he was in tenth grade, he took state exams in mathematics and placed third among all students at the state level. One of his professors, after learning that, wanted to put him to work grading papers that had been submitted for masters-level exams in mathematics. But my dad knew that he did not want to be a mathematician. He wanted to be a lawyer.
So that is what he worked hard to achieve. He studied long hours and spent a lot of time at the local library. After dark, he would sit under a lamppost and study there. He would study for 12 or 14 hours a day. He became a very good and successful lawyer, with his own practice. I remember him working six days a week

So that’s what I grew up watching (meaning hard work). And today, what I teach others and say to my children is that everybody is going to have different abilities. Everyone is going to have a different strategy for success, and everybody can achieve different things academically. But underneath all of that is the question, “Are you willing to work hard or not?”

For me, working long hours has been a key to success. A few years back when I was in public accounting, I sent an email to my managing partner at 9:00 p.m. and he replied, “Are you still in the office?”
I replied and said, “I have read that all successful people work at least 12 hours a day. I figured if I work 13, I’ll get there faster.”
 
What a story. When did you come to the United States?
Adnan Bokhari: I came in 1994, when I was just shy of 16 years old. It was my first international travel, and traveling by myself was quite fascinating and also frightening. My older brother, who is seven years older than I, was already here, living in Virginia. I moved in with him. There was just enough space in his room for two small beds, and that’s where I lived.
 
And did you attend university after you got here?
Adnan Bokhari: I did. I went to Strayer College, which is now Strayer University. I went there because they offered me the chance to take my visitor visa and use it to open the way to a student visa. So that was the opportunity there.

I am pretty sure I was the youngest student at Strayer. I was 16 years old.

 
What did you study?
Adnan Bokhari: I started with economics, just because I was 16 years old and didn’t know anything. My brother was doing an undergrad degree in economics, so I started studying economics too, and I got my Associates degree.
I then shifted to accounting and earned a bachelor’s degree in that field, because that’s where the jobs were in the D.C. area at the time, around year 2000. My Strayer education prepared me to take the CPA exam. I was able to pass the exam and I went into public accounting. In the firm, I continued to work closely with nonprofits and after working there for seven years, I moved to Prosperity Now (then Corporation for Enterprise Development) as its Chief Financial Officer. I’ve been with them since 2011, and two years ago, my role was expanded to Chief Operating Officer. So I’ve spent the last 17 years or so working in the nonprofit sector. My focus has been on building financial resiliency in nonprofits and creating operational excellence.
 
At what point did you first encounter Golden Key?
Adnan Bokhari: I got involved in Golden Key as a member of the Finance Committee, not yet a board member. I was introduced by Jerry Sullivan, who was the Executive Director of the American Association of College-Age Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), an accounting client of mine. He thought that given my expertise in nonprofit finance, I could be of value to Golden Key.
And as I thought about Golden Key members I was reminded about my father. As I said earlier, he had potential and was willing to work hard. I thought about people who at different times had opened different doors and helped him. In his early years, someone helped him get admitted to grade school by giving him a chance to retake a test. Another person helped pay for part of his law school tuition, without being asked. These “door openers” helped him climb the economic ladder from extreme poverty and even eventually to send all four of his children to a school where Prime Ministers and their children go.

So in Golden Key, I saw an opportunity to open doors for students.

As we know, there is a widening opportunity and income gap not just in the United States, but globally. I care deeply about this issue because of my background. And Golden Key opens doors for the top 15 percent of students in their colleges. When I was a student at Strayer, I did not have Golden Key at my side helping me. But Golden Key has helped me connect with thousands of talented students. We have cumulatively more than two million members and every year, more than 30,000 to 40,000 new members join. That’s a lot of opportunity to make a difference.
 
There are leadership opportunities within the Golden Key campus chapters?
Adnan Bokhari: Yes, but not just on campus. Golden Key is committed to developing the next generation of leaders. We have entire international and regional summit agendas dedicated to leadership development.  Golden Key members learn critical skills while in college and have a leg up when they enter the workforce.
 
So it is safe to assume that you would recommend Golden Key to students who qualify for membership, correct?
Adnan Bokhari: There are many organizations that are trying to do good work on behalf of students, but Golden Key stands out in a few important ways. One is that it’s the largest honor society. The other is its higher educational standard.
In my own student years, I didn’t have the luxury of being a full-time student. I was working full time while I was taking courses. At Golden Key, we allocate a portion of our budget for scholarships, about half a million dollars every year, to help ease the financial burden of college. Golden Key also offers leadership opportunities to all our student members and opportunities to give back to the community.

So my question to students would be, “Why wouldn’t you join Golden Key?” Think about the opportunity cost. There’s no better alternative for the time that you spend while you are in college.

Are you eligible to join Golden Key?

Golden Key Leader Profile: Dr. Derek Swemmer, Lifelong Advocate for Students and Golden Key

Golden Key Leader Profile: Dr. Derek Swemmer, Lifelong Advocate for Students and Golden Key

We are pleased to present this profile of Dr. Derek Swemmer, a leader in education, in the life of students, in Golden Key . . . and in the public life of his homeland, South Africa.

Fall 2017 Scholarship Winners Announced!

Fall 2017 Scholarship Winners Announced!

Today, we’re excited to display the recipients of the Fall 2017 Golden Key headquarters awards!

Golden Key Profiles Avery Hlavinka, Star Student and Golden Key Member

Golden Key Profiles Avery Hlavinka, Star Student and Golden Key Member

AVERY HEADSHOTAvery Hlavinka joined Golden Key during her sophomore year at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She is now a senior, and has just been accepted into the Texas A&M Rangel College of Pharmacy.
Everyone at Golden Key is thrilled about Avery and her future. Let’s hear more from Avery about her life and her plans.
Golden Key: Where did you grow up, and what you are up to now?
Avery Hlavinka: I grew up in the small town of East Bernard, Texas. I have always had an interest in the healthcare field and worked as a student athletic trainer throughout high school.
I am currently a senior at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and I will be graduating in May. I have especially enjoyed science and English classes. That led to my college major, Biomedical Sciences, and my minors, English and Chemistry. Next fall, I will begin studies at the Texas A&M Rangel College of Pharmacy.
Golden Key: Outside the classroom, what have been your favorite activities at Texas A&M-Kingsville?
Avery Hlavinka: I am a leader in multiple student organizations and participate in undergraduate research. During the summers, I work at a rice dryer near my hometown.
I became a member of Golden Key during my sophomore year. Honestly, when I initially received my invitation to join Golden Key, I joined because it would look good on my resume. However, since I joined, the society has become so much more than a bullet point.
I began serving as Vice-President of the TAMU-K chapter of Golden Key during my junior year. This is a position that I am maintaining now that I am in my senior year.
In the short time that I have been a member of Golden Key, the society has already paid back every cent of my membership fee and the benefits that I have experienced as a member far outweigh every ounce of time and energy that I have poured into the organization. I have attended professional development events, career-building workshops, and leadership conferences, to name a few. These opportunities for personal and professional growth are in addition to scholarships and monetary awards that I have received as a Golden Key member.
Some of the greatest benefits of Golden Key are the networking opportunities. Not only can you join a close-knit group on your own campus, but there are many events where you are able to make connections with people from other schools from around the country and the world.
Golden Key: Would you encourage other students to join? What do you believe they can gain from membership?
Avery Hlavinka: I encourage every student who receives an invitation to accept the offer of membership. The opportunities that Golden Key presents don’t stop after your New Member Recognition Event. Through your membership, you will experience countless opportunities to receive scholarships, invitations to attend career-building workshops, chances to participate in professional development and networking events, the ability to participate in volunteer service events and projects to give back to your community and much, much more.
Golden Key is one of the few organizations that continue with you throughout your life. I know that no matter where life takes me – pharmacy school, job opportunities in other cities or even in other countries – I will still be able to participate in Golden Key events and will have a Golden Key community almost anywhere I end up.
I grew up in a small town and community has always been an important part of my life. Golden Key will allow me to maintain that feeling of community and inclusion anywhere I go.
 
Do you have an outstanding Golden Key member that the world should know about? Nominate them to be featured in a member profile!

Golden Key Appreciates its Honorary Members!

Golden Key Appreciates its Honorary Members!

At Golden Key, we invite the top-performing 15% of sophomores through graduate students at universities to join the Society. Have you heard about our honorary members? We, as well as our chapter members, enjoy electing notable and impactful leaders on campus and in the community […]

Golden Key Scholar Profile: Patrick McCauley

Golden Key Scholar Profile: Patrick McCauley

Patrick McCauley is one of the winners of Golden Key’s 2016 Graduate Scholar Award (US$10,000). He  graduated from James Madison University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in physics and is now studying solar storms as a PhD student at the University of Sydney. Before moving […]

How Your Golden Key Membership Makes You a Top Job Applicant Today

How Your Golden Key Membership Makes You a Top Job Applicant Today

the chosen one
“Top Employers Say Millennials Need these 4 Skills in 2017,” an article Caroline Beaton wrote for Forbes on January 6, 2017, explores the most important traits that hiring companies are looking for today. Ms. Beaton doesn’t say it in her article, but if you are a Golden Key member, you are already cultivating the skills she describes.
Employers are Looking for More than Just a College Education
Ms. Beaton writes that employers are looking for employees who have done more than just complete college courses. They want employees who have demonstrated curiosity and commitment to outside projects. Golden Key’s foreign study programs, social outreach, and other activities show potential employers that you are the kind of candidate they are looking for.
Agility
Proven skills are important to employers. Yet in a world where technology is evolving quickly, they are also looking for employees who can adapt, learn, and adjust quickly. The range of your activities in Golden Key (such as doing research at several universities and studying in other countries) demonstrates just that kind of flexibility and adaptability.
Attention, Concentration and Follow-Through
Ms. Beaton writes that many companies are having a difficult time finding candidates who can complete projects from beginning to end. But actively involved Golden Key members, who are academic achievers, shouldn’t have a hard time convincing prospective employers that they possess this needed skill. Participation in Golden Key’s community and social outreach projects can do even more to demonstrate those skills.
Humility
Ms. Beaton summarizes this trait as, “not taking yourself too seriously.” Many of the core experiences you have had through Golden Key – meeting and interacting with people from other countries and cultures, for example, and engaging in charitable work – demonstrate that you have this trait.
Are You a Member of Golden Key Yet?
If not, CLICK HERE to learn more about how a Golden Key membership can help you succeed.
 

Fall 2016 Scholarship Winners Announced!

Fall 2016 Scholarship Winners Announced!

Today, we’re excited to display the recipients of the fall 2016 Golden Key headquarters awards. The winners of the Fall 2016 scholarships, in no particular order, are:   Golden Key Joan Nelson Study Abroad Award ($5,000.00) Carly Hand, State University of New York at Fredonia   […]