Fall 2013 Graduate Scholar Award Winners

Golden Key’s scholarship recipients embody the pillars for which Golden Key stands and we are delighted to assist them in making their dreams a reality. The Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award supports members’ post-baccalaureate study at accredited universities anywhere in the world. It is our premier scholarship, awarding $10,000 USD to each recipient. We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Fall 2013 award.
The recipients are:

• Dina Shahrokhi, The University of Texas at Dallas, United States
• Ritankar Das, University of California, Berkeley, United States
• Maria Echague Casanova, Syracuse University, United States
• Hanna Farah, University of Ottawa, Canada
• Howard Huynh, Texas Tech University, United States
• Sun Young Kang, Concordia University, Canada
• Art Law, The University of British Columbia, Canada
• Kim Townsel, The University of Alabama, United States
• Joy Lacanienta, University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States
• Rose Perry, Iowa State University, United States
• Phillip Mogodi, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
• Analiza Baldonado, California State University, Fresno, United States
• Eric Anderson, Arizona State University, United States

Congratulations to the winners!

Here’s what a few of the winners had to say upon receiving the award…
“My vision is to become a Family Nurse Practitioner; however, these last few weeks I was undecided if I should pursue my Family Nurse Practitioner program due to financial reasons. I am almost done with my Doctor of Nursing Practice. The Golden Key scholarship came at the right time! This scholarship is a validation for me to pursue and achieve my goal in meeting the needs of the family, working collaboratively with family primary care physicians and other clinicians within the health care system. This is a platform that can maximize my role as an Advanced Practice Nurse to deliver a more effective and cost efficient healthcare delivery models. In a larger perspective, this scholarship will allow me to be a part of, contribute, and lead in forming solutions to a complex and uncoordinated health care, not only in the USA but globally. Thank you for awarding me the 2013 Graduate Scholar Award.”
-Analiza Baldonado
“It is truly an honour to be selected as a recipient of the 2013 Graduate Scholar Award; representing my previous academic institution (University of the Witwatersrand), home country (South Africa), and other development driven young leaders across Africa. I’m currently studying towards an MBA in International Management at the University of Dundee, UK.  Being a recipient of this award is a milestone and also an important event for my personal development. It will assist me in pursuing my academic program and ultimately work towards my dream of accelerating socio-economic development in Africa.  Thank you Golden Key, continue believing & investing in our leadership capacity and academic development.”
-Phillip Mogodi
“Since I have been studying in Canada as an international student, the tuition fee has been always a big, problematic, and tough issue for me to overcome. I was actually going to stop studying in Canada and go back to Korea to work to pay my tuition fee, but this award literally saves my 2014.  This amazing award revitalizes my time pursuing my study in Canada. This award makes me believe that a desiring time of hoping to study is always worthy to keep in the mind in one’s life. For this precious opportunity to keep studying with this scholarship, I can finally gain confidence of completing my study at the MFA program of Concordia University and making my future films as a cinema director.”
-Sun Young Kang
“I began full-time academic studies at the Stanford University School of Medicine in the summer of 2011.  With the support of the Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award, I will be able to continue my service to the community and research efforts while I complete my academic studies in pursuit of a career focused on improving human health through patient care, medical research, and education as a physician-scientist.  I am very grateful and honored to have received this award, and I am excited to be able to continue my scholastic efforts at a high level as a member of Golden Key International Honour Society.”
-Eric Anderson