Year: 2021

A lifetime of dedication to Golden Key with Bonnie Cooper

A lifetime of dedication to Golden Key with Bonnie Cooper

Bonnie Cooper’s journey with the Golden Key International Honour Society began in 1995 when she played a vital role in establishing the North Dakota State University (NDSU) chapter. From the moment she became involved, Bonnie’s commitment and passion for Golden Key shone through, leading her […]

Golden Key Spotlight: Emmanuel Pichay

Golden Key Spotlight: Emmanuel Pichay

When we run into rejection, we can either be held down by it or learn from it and move forward as a braver person. Someone who has taken rejection and genuinely grown from it is Golden Key member Emmanuel Pichay.  “This all started back in […]

Golden Key Spotlight: Gabriele Angelo Ciminelli

Golden Key Spotlight: Gabriele Angelo Ciminelli

Aloha. My full name is Gabriele Angelo Ciminelli and it has given people enormous trouble over the years! Though it might be a name that sounds like it is from the renaissance era, I can assure you I do love my name. To make things happier between you and I, I insist on you calling me Gab! 

I joined the Golden Key National Honor Society on June 9th, 1997 after graduating from La Trobe University, Australia. It was a huge boost to my personal confidence at the time, but it wasn’t until my international travels brought me to Hawaii and Japan that I realized the true essence of its mission. Let me tell you a story.

I consider myself having a successful career. From Australia to Taiwan, to Japan and Hawaii, my travels have seen me work in some amazing roles (Leadership, Communications, Emotional Intelligence Trainer, People Strategist, HR Development, Technical Writer, Relationship Manager and Engineer) with top Fortune 500 companies (Ericsson, Nokia, Alcaltel-Lucent, Rakuten).

Along the way, I have won awards for employee of the year (2010 Hawaiian Telcom) to Leadership awards. I’ve managed small to medium-sized multicultural teams in Japan and even found time to invent a Japanese<->English SMS text message translation service found on most phones today.

Yet, there was one thing that constantly disappointed me in all my career positions: how people were being managed (or mismanaged). I repeatedly saw signs of micromanagement, employees being burned out, yelled at, mistreated and ultimately isolated. I experienced all of them to the point where I too became depressed and needed to consider turning things around, Mahatma Gandhi-style: “Be the change you wish to see”!

So, I consulted with 3 people at the time when my family and I were enjoying life on the beautiful Hawaiian islands: My Leadership mentor at the time, a Buddhist monk, and my incredible wife. To cut a long story short, my wife took me on an amazing spiritual journey (still on that path today); the Buddhist monk taught me how to live in the here and the now; my leadership mentor changed my life when he said, “Awards are a sign of a great achiever; but to be a great leader, you need to give back- what are you doing to give back?”.

Thus, in 2017, I founded the Silent Leadership Institute – a global training and coaching practice that focuses on executive coaching, coaching for unconditional self-compassion, providing essential soft skills programs in leadership, creativity, mindfulness, and well-being. The Silent Leadership Institute is based in Tsukuba, Japan, and offers online training and coaching across the globe. 

My why?

I’m here to help people unleash a life they love through the art of self-compassion and mindfulness, whether at work or in their personal missions. Everyone deserves to love, live and learn.

 

By Gabriele Angelo Ciminelli

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrieleciminelli/

Golden Key Spotlight: Cameron Cuevas

Golden Key Spotlight: Cameron Cuevas

Spirit, honor and bravery, all come to mind when thinking of the women and men who dedicate their lives to protecting their countries. One of these brave men is Golden Key member Cameron Cuevas.  Cameron is studying Management Information Systems at Bowie State University and […]

How to get involved with Golden Key?

How to get involved with Golden Key?

Have you joined Golden Key but still aren’t sure how to become involved? Then you’ve come to the right place. While many students join honor societies for the resume booster, we know that GK members are hard-working leaders, eager to be involved in their community […]

Golden Key Spotlight: Estefan Pieterse

Golden Key Spotlight: Estefan Pieterse

Golden Key member Estefan Pieterse is working on his master’s degree in Microbiology and Physiology from the North West University Potchefstroom campus. 

“My sister did a school project with bacteria when I was about 11 years old, and that sparked my interest in Microbiology,” reveals Estefan. “I always wanted to be a scientist.”

Estefan joined Golden Key in 2017 and feels that it has provided him with a new skill set for life and his profession. 

“Because of my busy schedule, I didn’t really participate in physical events that the Golden Key hosted at my university,” says Estefan. “However, I did make use of the webinars and online conferences, and I learned a lot through them. I also wrote an article for the Golden key blog about Anxiety and how to cope with overthinking.”

Estefan is currently working a temporary position at Mediclinic. He ensures patients arrive on time for their procedures, screens patients, works as a porter, and screens staff, among other tasks. 

“I am also involved in offering emotional support to families when they lose a loved one or when they receive bad news,” says Estefan. 

Estefan says, “Seeing people being discharged after weeks in the hospital, knowing that I’ve been a part of their journey” is the best part of his job. 

In 2019, Estefan was selected to present at a conference in Tromso, Norway, that positively impacted his life. 

“Their way of life is so different from ours,” Estefan reflects. “It made me realise that your dreams should scare you because then they are worthy of your time and energy. And without that trip, I would still be too scared to take a leap of faith.”

While Estefan has had his blessings in life, he has also had his share of challenges. 

“A couple of years ago, while I was busy with my honours degree, my mom had to go in for a back operation,” says Estefan. “She had complications during the surgery, which led to a bubble formation in her brain, which in turn led to meningitis. We almost lost her; she even had to learn how to walk again. It impacted me greatly because I am very close to my mom, and I had to focus on my research and work at the same time. But I had a great support structure that helped me get through it. And even in my mom’s state, she still encouraged me through every trial, and I’m blessed to say that we both got through that dark season alive, happy and healthy.”

This dark season taught Estefan many life lessons and made him grow as a person.

“It’s okay not to know,” Estefan reveals. “We always think that we need to have everything figured out. But as I grow older, I realise that nobody really knows what they are doing or where they are going, and that is fine. Just be on your way somewhere, even if you don’t know the destination, just enjoy the journey.” 

Golden Key Spotlight: Lorenzo Samuela

Golden Key Spotlight: Lorenzo Samuela

I received my Golden Key certificate through the mail while completing my degree at the University of Waikato. The very moment I realised what this meant, I instantly attributed it to my academic performance the previous year (2006). Little did I know that the certificate […]

Golden Key Spotlight: Claire Baxter

Golden Key Spotlight: Claire Baxter

It’s not uncommon for students to take a study abroad year. It’s just that I was 37 when I took mine. I completed my first bachelor’s degree in 2001, joining Golden Key at that time, and then completed a second bachelor’s degree part-time by distance […]

Golden Key Spotlight: Mohammed Abu-Dalhoum

Golden Key Spotlight: Mohammed Abu-Dalhoum

Every day we make a million decisions: to have cereal or a muffin, to take a right instead of a left, but some decisions have more weight and impact on our lives than others. Golden Key member Mohammed Abu-Dalhoum is a firm believer that our choices significantly affect our lives. 

“I always think that wherever we are in our lives, our decisions have an impact on that,” Mohammed reveals. “I believe I owe a lot of where I am now to my decision to enroll in King’s Academy, Jordan’s best high school. I actually had to repeat 9th Grade to be admitted, but that was the best decision in my life. It is where I learned English; it is where I received incredible education, where I met great peers, and it is the reason I was able to move to the United States and get my BA and MA at great universities.”

Mohammed earned his bachelor’s in International Studies and his Master’s in Conflict and Conflict Resolution from George Washington University. He has been a member of Golden Key since 2019.

“I have been very fortunate to be a member of Golden Key,” Mohammed says. “I have learned a lot from the stories I have read online. Golden Key has countless tremendous members who have all achieved great successes in their lives, and it is always great to read their stories, follow their updates, and learn from their experiences.” 

“I especially appreciate how diverse and globalized it is so that we get to see updates from all around the world, in many different fields, at different stages in their careers.”

During Mohammed’s first year of college, he lost his father. Four years after his father’s passing, he lost his older brother, who was one of his strongest supporters in life. 

“Dealing with these two instances changed me forever, especially my brother’s passing,” Mohammed mentions. “He worked in foreign service, which was actually my dream career, and after that, I changed my mind about the whole career. It turned me away from it. I also think that since that, I have changed my work style. It pushed me further to start MENAACTION and push on every task within it. We really never know how much time we have, so now I take my life with an approach of ‘now or never.”

After completing his studies, Mohammed and a group of friends created MENAACTION, a nonprofit that advocates for Middle Eastern youth rights, by focusing on policy, advocacy, democracy and human rights.

“I started seeing trends specific to youth,” Mohammed explains. “They generally vote at higher rates than the national average. When they engage in protests or demonstrations (such as during the Arab Spring and beyond), they tend to call for reforms that are important and relevant to the grander society, not exclusive to their own needs. It really shows that they are really the candidates we want to represent us in decision-making.”

 

Golden Key Spotlight: Ryan Kungl

Golden Key Spotlight: Ryan Kungl

As the sole Founder and Director of Clinics For Kids (CFK), I am proud to have grown CFK to include more than 20 professionals and health students. This includes researchers, doctors, medical students, dentists, dental students, optometrists, and nurses, including 4 Aboriginal Australian members. At […]