A Golden Key Alumni, former President of the Macquarie University chapter, and currently a Senior Analyst in the Technology & Controls Team at Deloitte Australia, Rakin Hasan’s journey has been remarkable.

Rakin came from Bangladesh as an international student in 2013.

He says for international students it is difficult to tap into the employment market but with his Golden Key connections, Rakin was able to find employment.

“I went to a lot of the conferences and one of the most exciting was in 2015 at the Gold Coast. That was one of the most helpful summits, because I got my first job from it,” Rakin says.

“I met someone who was a speaker and he was working with one of the Big Four. When I graduated, I stayed in touch with all my Golden Key colleagues, and that person posted a job on LinkedIn. I messaged him, and he said he was happy to refer me.

“Through that networking at the Golden Key International Summit I got my first job. That was a testament for myself that when networking, especially if you can tap into your connections with Golden Key, you can find wonderful things for yourself.”

Staying in touch with his network, Rakin has been involved with many Golden Key initiatives. In 2020, when faced with Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions, Golden Key Asia-Pacific introduced a Webinar series. Rakin lead the initiative and presented the regions first ever GK Talk “Enacting a Beacon for Change with Rakin Hasan”.

“I’ve been a career coach for about five or six years now. I started off in University, and I wanted to help people with resumes and covers letters. I had a side gig going on,” he says.

“It was last year in the pandemic that I wanted to make it free for people.  I put up a post and started giving free career coaching sessions to people who were losing jobs, and to people who could not find jobs.”

It was during this time, Rakin became a CA speaker at Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

“Over the past year and a half, every moment I could find free out of work, I would invest in helping people create their cover letter or resume, or prepare for interviews.”

“I would go to universities and talk in front of students and professionals, talking about things that were important, things that would help them directly in their job or their career.”

With all the remarkable things Rakin is doing, it is no surprise he was recently identified by Acuity Magazine as one of the Top 20 under 35 Future Leaders.

“I feel like this was something I was building up to for a long time. It helps me continue to do the things I do well, which is going in front of people and talking and motivating people.

For Golden Key members, Rakin offers the following advice.

“Learn to sell yourself. That is why a lot of the Golden Key events are so important, because that is what they teach you. Yes education is important, but we are all a story and you need to learn how to tell your story. “

“Getting the job is literally a sales pitch and you need to have to perfect that sales pitch.”

Want to learn more from Rakin Hasan? Check out his second GK Webinar here: https://academy.goldenkey.org/video/identifying-risks-from-emerging-technologies/

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/

Moving abroad is difficult at any age, perhaps more so when you are older and more settled in life. Finding accommodation and making friends were also more difficult as an older student. I felt too old for student accommodation and all the university clubs and societies were full of much younger students, so I had to search outside of the university for friends. 

But there are also definite advantages to waiting until you are older to study abroad. For example, I’d learned the value of networking, taking advantage of all learning opportunities, and also project management, which I was very thankful for when I came to write my dissertation. I also think I was much more grateful to be there, having waited for so long, versus my younger classmates who perhaps took the opportunity a bit more for granted. This made me value the whole of the experience more, rather than just going to class, submitting the assignments, and getting the degree.

Throwing myself into a new situation at age 37 was also a great personal challenge. You can become a little set in your ways as you get older. I’d lived in the same city my whole life, had worked for the same company for ten years, lived in the same apartment for seven years, and most of my friends I had known since at least my twenties. To have all of that taken away and have to navigate a new city, get out and meet new people, and be stretched intellectually was a big step outside of my comfort zone.

There were times it was difficult, times that I doubted myself or was lonely, and many times that I suffered from imposter syndrome. But as they say, the best learning happens outside of your comfort zone, and overall I feel that the experience made me a lot more confident and resilient. I also really enjoyed re-engaging with academia and the experience opened my eyes to different paths and career options. It was a very fulfilling experience and I’d say to others who have the same dream that you are never too old.

Bio: Claire Baxter

Claire became a member of Golden Key since 1999 during her Bachelor of Sports Management. She then completed a Bachelor of Arts in History and Archaeology, and has been working in the travel industry for the past 13 years as both a product manager and business analyst. During this time she took a sabbatical to study a Masters of Conflict Archaeology at the University of Glasgow.

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

Have you been invited to join Golden Key International Honour Society? Or would you like to join?

The first thing you need to know is that admission is available to only the top 15% of college and university sophomores, juniors and seniors, as well as to top-ranked graduate students. What is meant by top 15%? Simply put, this means that you must have achieved a GPA that falls within the top 15% at your institution. Please note that if your GPA is that high, you may also apply to be considered for admission to Golden Key and you don’t have to wait for an invitation.

Why Must You Be in the Top 15%?

If you have been invited to join Golden Key, or if you would like to apply, that might be something you are wondering.

Honor societies like Golden Key have strict admissions requirements to assure that . . .

Membership is instantly recognized as a sign of top academic achievement. If admission requirements were loosened, membership wouldn’t mean as much or say as much about what you have achieved.

Membership continues to serve as a strong credential when you are applying for graduate schools and jobs. When members list Golden Key on their resumes, graduate school applications, online profiles and elsewhere, their membership is recognized as a sign of notable achievement. If admission requirements were loosened, that wouldn’t be the case.

And Remember, Membership Is Only the Beginning

Meaningful opportunities become available to you after you are accepted into Golden Key. Through Golden Key, you can apply for special awards and scholarships, take part in service opportunities, study abroad, connect with other top academic achievers to expand your horizons and advance your academic research . . . and much more.

Your participation in Golden Key programs lets you build on the achievements that qualified you to join. Your membership allows you to leverage your academic success and, in the words of Golden Key’s mission, “Unlock Your Potential.”

An Achievement Worth Working Toward

As you enter college or pursue your undergraduate studies, why not attain and maintain that top GPA that will qualify you for membership in a top honor society? It is an achievement worth working toward. And when you join, new opportunities will be unlocked and waiting for you.

That perception is more than one leader’s opinion. It has been borne out in milestones that marked Golden Key’s 40 years of evolution . . .

Students saw Golden Key’s promise at once, and within a few months of that initial induction ceremony in November 1977, efforts began to open new chapters. By the end of 1978, six Golden Key chapters had been established at the University of Georgia, the University of Florida, and other campuses. Chapters began to engage in service projects in the communities where they were located. The Society hired its first staff people and opened its first office to organize programs of foreign study for members.
Then in 1982, the first annual national Golden Key Conference was held in Atlanta. Members connected, shared service opportunities, and the founding values of Golden Key began to resonate on a deeper level. The value of bringing together members was clear and one year later, the first annual Golden Key Regional Conference took place at Michigan State.

The value of offering financial assistance to students began to take life. By 1984, Golden Key had awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to members. In that same year, the 50^th Golden Key chapter opened at San Diego State University.

In 1985, Golden Key was able to purchase a building to house its national headquarters and a remarkable period of growth began. Corporate sponsors NCR and Peat Marwick came on board and fostered continuing growth.
In 1993, Golden Key opened chapters in Australia. New chapters were established in Malaysia, Canada and other countries and in 2000, the Society changed its name to Golden Key International Honour Society.
Success has followed success. By 2010, Golden Key reached the milestone of having 2 million members. And by 2011, the Society was annually awarding more than $1 million in scholarships to members.

Golden Key Today  

Today, Golden Key International Honour Society is a widely recognized and highly regarded collegiate honor society that prides itself on operating with integrity and transparency at over 400 colleges and universities worldwide.
Golden Key maintains offices in Australia, South Africa and the United States. Its international headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia
Golden Key International Honour Society is governed by an independently elected Board of Directors comprised of highly regarded professionals from universities, businesses and not for profits. These voluntary board members receive no compensation and are legally responsible for ensuring that the Society operates within its charter and in accordance with the various laws and regulations within the jurisdictions where Golden Key operates.
As its 40^th year begins, almost 2.5 million high achieving students have joined Golden Key.  Many members are Rhodes and Fulbright Scholars. Two Governor Generals of Australia, a former Canadian Prime Minister, astronauts, university presidents and other notables such as Bill Clinton, Desmond Tutu, Bill Ford and Elie Wiesel have proudly accepted honorary membership into the Society.

“We are not resting on our accomplishments,” says Executive Director Brad Rainey. And what accomplishments they are – 40 years’ worth.

Rainey adds, “Golden Key’s values, mission, history, accomplishments, and students have built a robust platform for a bright future of supporting students as Golden Key helps to create the world leaders of the future.”
 
Are you eligible? Click here to find out!

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?

Today, we’re excited to display the recipients of the Fall 2017 Golden Key headquarters awards. The winners of the Fall 2017 scholarships, in no particular order, are:

 
Golden Key Joan Nelson Study Abroad Award ($5,000.00)

• Alexis Cannella, Colorado State University

 
Golden Key Geico Life Scholarship ($1,000.00)

• Anthony Welch, Texas A&M University
• Bernard Mills, Strayer University
• Canice Dancel, University of Texas at Dallas
• Maria del Carmen Comis, University of Houston Downtown
• Jordan Howard, South Carolina State University

 
Golden Key Education Debt Reduction Award ($10,000.00)

• Justin Speed, Tennessee State University

 
Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award ($10,000.00)

• Mary Swearinger, Texas State – San Marcos
• Franck Gbaguidi, Columbia University in the City of New York

 
Golden Key Undergraduate Achievement Award ($5,000.00)

• Ton Suo, Cornell University
• Brooke Hotard, Louisiana State University

 
Advisor Professional Development Award ($1,000.00)

• Debu Misra, University of Alaska Fairbanks

 
Congratulations again to all of the winners! We are so proud of you!
Interested in applying for Golden Key scholarships?  View the scholarship listings and deadlines now! You can’t win if you don’t apply!