What is Golden Key?
Golden Key is an academic honor society which recognizes and encourages scholastic achievement and excellence among college and university students from all academic disciplines. The Society awards its members over $400,000 annually through 17 different scholarship and award programs.
Members are connected to exclusive career opportunities and assistance through Golden Key's partnerships with major corporations and graduate programs. The Society provides campus and community service opportunities enabling personal growth and leadership development as well as collaborating with university faculty and administrators to develop and maintain high standards of education.
Golden Key is proud to have nearly 350 chapters at colleges and universities in seven countries: Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Golden Key is also an international organization. It is a nonprofit organization with over 300 collegiate chapters at major colleges and universities across the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Campus and community honorary members support the society's quest for excellence in higher education.
The Golden Key International Honour Society was founded at Georgia State University on November 29, 1977 by a group of highly motivated undergraduate students led by Mr. James W. Lewis. Since that time, Golden Key has established itself as a positive force in higher education. The society has over 1,000,000 lifetime members and 12,500 honorary members, and has awarded more than 2.5 million dollars in scholarships.
Golden Key hosts a yearly International Convention which attracts top students, faculty, and administrators to discuss Society programs and provide leadership development.
Golden Key is governed by a Board of Directors and an International Leadership Council. Dr. Cecilia G. Manrique, Professor, Political Science, serves as Secretary of the Council. Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Judith Kuipers, was a member of the Board of Directors. A trained, professional staff provides service to the chapters throughout the year. The Society has a permanent headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia so that members and alumni may stay in touch no matter where they may be.
Over all Golden Key is a dynamic organization committed to meeting the needs of scholastic achievers while providing positive contributions to the campus, community, and the world.
Mission, Values Vision, and Strategic Objectives
With almost 30 years of rich tradition, Golden Key remains committed to scholarship, career development, leadership and service. Our mission defines who we are; our core values provide us guidance in executing our activities; and our history reminds us that more than one million members are counting on us to shape the future through our strategic planning process.
Golden Key is a mission focused, values based and demographics driven organization.
Mission: To enable members to realize their potential by connecting individual achievement with service and lifelong opportunity.
Values: Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, Respect, Diversity, Excellence, Engagement.
Vision 2011: Golden Key is the world's premier honor society. We recognize academic excellence and provide tangible value to our student members, advisors, recent alumni and partners while positively impacting their lives and society.
Strategic Objectives (2006-2011):
- Grow the Golden Key Community
- Maximize value to student members, advisors, recent alumni and partners
- Build internal capacity to deliver quality and value consistently
- Make a difference in society through education-related service
Objective Membership Criteria
Membership is by invitation only and is limited to
no more than the top 15% of the juniors and seniors enrolled at a
college or university. Each chapter has the right to determine a
specific grade point requirement within the 15% standard. Part-time as
well as full-time students qualify, and membership is open to
traditional and nontraditional students.
Benefits of Membership
If you receive an invitation letter concerning your
opportunity to join GK, you are the best of the best. Your outstanding
academic achievement has placed you among a very select group of
students who qualify for membership in Golden Key International Honour
Society. Golden Key is internationally recognized. Membership is by
invitation only.
Goals
The goals of the Society are to recognize and
encourage scholastic achievement and excellence in all undergraduate
fields of study, to unite with faculty and administrators in developing
and maintaining high standards of education, to provide economic
assistance to outstanding members by means of both undergraduate and
graduate scholarships, and to promote scholastic achievement and
voluntary service.
Chapter Activities
Members are encouraged to participate in chapter
activities. There are opportunities to hold office and to participate in
activities that promote academic achievement, serve the community and
provide social interaction. Chapters hold regular meetings for members
to plan these events. Membership provides a network for students with
diverse backgrounds and interests to learn from each other and to enrich
their collegiate experience.
Career Assistance
Golden Key members are distinguished across the
globe for their academic excellence. Recognizing these talents, many
corporations seek to recruit Society members for career positions as
well as co-ops and internships. The Career Assistance Reference is a
listing of more than 400 such companies including Ford Motor Company,
Merck, General Mills, and Motorola, to name a few. The reference is
available for a nominal fee as an added benefit for our members' career
opportunities.
Financial Assistance
Two undergraduate scholarships are awarded at each
chapter's reception to the outstanding junior and senior initiates. As a
new member, you are eligible. Simply return the completed member
profile/scholarship application and the lifetime fee by the membership
deadline. Golden Key also awards yearly $10,000 graduate scholarships to
members who apply and are then recognized as "Golden Key Scholars."
Leadership
Golden Key chapters are student-run and involve
students who share your same aspirations for high achievement. You can
gain valuable leadership experience by becoming a chapter officer, or
you can have fun and build friendships by participating in social and
service activities; however, all participation is voluntary. As a
lifetime member, you are always invited to the Society's annual
convention and to regional conferences for additional personal
development.
Publications
Golden Key is proud of its national award-winning
magazine, CONCEPTS, which highlights the achievements and activities of
Society members. This benefit is available to you annually, and you are
encouraged to submit articles for this all-member publication.
Recognition
Once you have joined Golden Key, you are a member
for life. The $60 membership fee is the only monetary obligation you
have as a member (as a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Service Code, Golden Key uses the fee to maintain
the Society for the benefit of each of its chapters and members). You
will be recognized for your scholastic achievements with the
presentation of a personalized certificate at your chapter's reception.
Your guests are cordially invited and top university administrators,
faculty and community leaders will be in attendance.
More information about Golden Key can be found at the International Headquarters homepage. (address is: http://www.goldenkey.org)