Member Highlights

Congratulations to Fritz Agbor - Winner of the 2012 Golden Key Undergraduate Achievement - US$5,000.00

Fritz is 24 years old, from the city of Kumba, in meme division of the south west province, in the Republic of Cameroon. His personal statement reads:
      “I am enormously thrilled and exceedingly beholden for such recognition, from the Golden Key Board of Directors, to have been chosen as a winner of the Golden key undergraduate achievement Award 2013. 
Winning this award, not only assists me monetarily in trailing my goals, but fortifies me to continue working hard.  It has poise me to stay succeeding whilst learning, in optimisms of someday benevolently giving back to our universal community in a meaningful way. It is one of the climaxes of my academic career and inspires me to take aim in reaching new heights, a touch I hope to endure for as long as God permits me to live.
       I’d like to express gratitude to the Golden Key board of directors, the volunteer leadership and headquarters staff for distinguishing my academic achievements. I also would like to applaud the committee for reaching out and extending their support to scholars who intend to use their education, in a way that is fashionably benefiting our society at large (especially those with underprivileged backgrounds as myself).

I intend to use the prize money towards funding the continuation of my postgraduate tutelage (BSc (Hons.)) in Applied Geology (majoring in Petroleum Geology), empowering myself to study in conjunction to volunteering with supplementary organizations in future”. 

This scholarship will aid in the funding of my studies headed for a BSc. Hons applied geology degree, a continuation of my major at undergrad level, at the University of the Western Cape.

My commitment to associations, has earned me an extensive knowledge through career development programs and research studies. Some of such achievements acquired during the period of my undergraduate studies includes but are not limited to the following:

• Ø  Member of the Golden key Award Honour Society (2010).
• Ø  Member of the Golden key Honorary Sub-committee UWC chapter (2012).
• Ø  Member of the American Society of Petroleum Geologist (AAPG) (2011/2012).
• Ø  Member of the emerging entrepreneurs program (UWC) (2010).
• Ø  Deputy Secretary of Cameroonian students in the Western Cape (CAMSAWC) (2010, 2011/2012).
• Ø  Holder of the Dean’s Merit Award (2011).
• Ø  Emotional intelligence certificate award (2012).
• Ø  International Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) star Scholarship award (2012)
• Ø  Treasurer of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Southern African student Chapter (2011, 2012/2013).
• Ø  Tutor at the physics department (UWC) (2010 – 2012).
• Ø  Tutor & Mentor at Peer mentoring program (PMP) UWC (2012).
• Ø  Volunteer of the Habitat for Humanity South Africa (HFHSA).
• Ø  Volunteer for Mission For evangelical Service (MES) Cape Town.
• Ø  Volunteer of the Bellville Presbyterian Church (BPC).
•  

So far, my experiences with Golden key; though not extensive, have been exciting and full of memories. It has been constantly full of amazements from when I was inducted as a member, to becoming a sub-committee member and volunteering during awareness events on campus, to attending other membership induction ceremonies and now becoming a scholarship award winner. My journey so far has been magnificent. I would like to end by thanking you once more for giving me this wonderful opportunity to escalate my academic career to the next level. I truly appreciate this and may God continue to bless you all as you strife to restore the hope all beneficiaries are in quest of. 

Congratulations to Julia Boonzaier - Winner of the Golden Key Study Abroad Scholarship - US$1,000

Here is Julia's personal statement:

Thank you very much for awarding me the Fall 2012 Study Abroad Scholarship. This is truly an honor and an amazing opportunity. Winning this award is definitely one of the highlights of my academic career and it inspires me to keep aiming high to reach my goals. I am currently an international student at the University of Antwerpen (Belgium) doing a Master’s degree in Neuroscience, majoring in preclinical and clinical neuroscience.  I started my academic career in Cape Town, South Africa, at the University of Stellenbosch where I majored in biomedical sciences with the focus on anatomy and histology. I intend to use the prize money towards the continuation of my postgraduate education.

It is an honor for me to be a member of the Golden Key Society. I am humbled by this scholarship, and above all, thankful to all the people who contributed to my success by inspiring, encouraging and supporting me to reach my full potential.

I never thought that joining Golden Key in 2009, that I would meet and work with incredible leaders and provide me with opportunities to travel and see the world! I was fortunate enough to serve the local Stellenbosch Chapter for two consecutive years (2009-2011). In my reign as Chapter President in 2011, I lead my team to successfully implement and develop various networking, community and literacy projects that benefited the larger Stellenbosch community as well as students of the university. In this term, the Stellenbosch Chapter reached a 67% member acceptance rate, making this the most successful term the Chapter experienced thus far. I ‘m currently serving as the South African representative on the Council of Student Members (CoSM). I was also privileged to attend both the National Conference in Bloemfontein (2011) and International Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona (2010).

As any young graduate, I feared that after four years of hard work and sacrifice to obtain my Hons. Bcomm (Logistic Management) degree, I would enter the employment market without any possibilities especially knowing my country’s current economic climate and high unemployment rate. Even though I had the necessary qualifications and leadership qualities to be a top performing employee, I still required the skills and training that most companies search for when appointing new employees. Keeping these thoughts in mind, I started my search for any vacancies and graduate programs in my field of study. On this search, I came across an internship abroad named Students Experience Programme (STEP).

SAFRI (Southern Africa Initiative of German Business) in association with Mercedes-Benz South Africa offers six-month internships at Daimler and other companies in Germany. Throughout this internship at Daimler AG, participants will gain invaluable practical on-the-job work experience and skills. This international experience is accompanied by a cultural programme and business training. German language training before and during the internship is also an integral part of the programme. The STEP 2012 participants were selected from a large number of applicants. All applications are invited from high calibre students and recent graduates from Southern African Developing Community (SADC) countries.

Daimler AG together with Mercedes-Benz South Africa created the Students Experience Programme (STEP) in 2005 in response to the great demand in Southern Africa for practical training as well as the need for young Southern African talent in German businesses that are active in the region. This programme prepares the participants for the challenges awaiting them on the employment market and creates the basis for robust business relations in Southern Africa. It also helps German business identify and train highly qualified local employees for their future business activities in the region.

It’s been nearly 2 months that I’ve been living and working in Germany and I’ve seen and experience what Germany and the Logistics industry has to offer. My colleagues’ work standard and ethics is astounding. Their dedication to excellence through partnership is exemplified by their focus on quality and efficiency.  The rich history of this beautiful country and its people truly exceeded my expectations. Soon, I will be returning back to South Africa to implement the knowledge and skills I have acquired over the duration of this internship.

Most GK members tend to believe that the benefits of joining this prestigious society are limited to their duration of their studies. GK offers a LIFE TIME membership! Not only did my direct involvement with the local Stellenbosch Chapter and international Student Council equip me with the necessary leadership skills and experience, but if also provided me with possibilities to pursue the career I desired, in my home country or abroad. By capitalizing on these opportunities and benefits, I will be able grow and develop within the employment market as a proud GK South African Alumni giving back to my local community and being a role model for those I  get in contact with. I will forever treasure the precious memories and incredible friends I have made, but most of all I will always remember the genuine kindness and humility this Society has shown towards me.

We want to extend a congratulations to Stephan Gericke - Winner of the Golden Key Study Abroad Bursary valued at US$1,000. Stephan has been involved in Golden Key for more than five years and as an Alumni member he has excelled in all aspects of his life.
This is what Stephan Gericke had to say:

"I am Stephan Gericke and a grateful recipient of the 2011 Study Abroad Golden Key Award. I am from Pretoria, South Africa, but I am currently residing in the United Kingdom. Golden Key has contributed to my acceptance as an MPhil student at the University of Cambridge. At the Cambridge’s centre for music and science I am pursuing an education in a specialised and novel field of research which is not widely taught at tertiary institutions in the world, namely the interdisciplinary field of music cognition and perception. I am doing research in the perception of the immediate intelligibility of vocal auditory stimuli and timbre – research which I wish to pursue further on a PhD level. Furthermore, it has always been my dream to study abroad, especially at an institution as world-renowned as Cambridge.

I have been involved in Golden Key for several years. I was a recipient of the Chapter Award at my Golden Key new member ceremony and I soon became a committee member at the University of Pretoria Chapter where I served on various portfolios and as Chapter President in 2008 – 2009. I was fortunate to attend the International conferences and represent our thriving chapter in both New Orleans in 2008, and Orlando in 2009. For the term 2009 – 2010 I was appointed as the South African representative for the CoSM.

Through my involvement with Golden Key I encountered inspirational people (many of whom remain friends), developed leadership, social, business and networking skills, obtained the courage to make a difference, and recognised the value of combining all these diverse skillsets to benefit one’s own career and the community. Most of all, Golden Key showed me that it is individuals with integrity, loyalty, humility and a strong sense of ethics, who transcend preconceived concepts of success in all aspects of life.

I am very, very grateful to the Study Abroad Golden Key Award whose financial support is making this life-changing and career-benefiting opportunity a reality."

We wish Stephan all the best with his studies and future endeavours. He is a true Golden Key ambassador.

On that lovely winter evening in August, I was inspired and knew that I wanted to become involved in this organisation. It was the Golden Key Induction Ceremony and the air was filled with excitement and anticipation.

After the Induction ceremony was over, I approached some of the Committee members and spoke to them about how I could get involved in this society. I was excited…after a year of downtime from serious involvement in an organisation, I was ready to join the committee of the Stellenbosch Chapter and add to it my personal touch.

After one year of serving as the Community Service director, I went on to becoming the Chapter President of the Stellenbosch University Chapter, and also served a short term as the South African member of the Council of Student Members. I was proud to be a part of this international society and served with enthusiasm and dedication!

Golden Key has done so much for me. The thing I most appreciate about my time in service is that it gave me the space to grow my leadership skills. I had the opportunity to lead a team and provided the direction the chapter needed in order to achieve the goals we’d set ourselves. I also had the opportunity to work with some amazing people…from my great chapter team to the advisors…I was fortunate to be surrounded by such hardworking and dedicated individuals. I not only networked with other university leaders, but also had numerous opportunities to network with fellow Golden Key leaders, both locally in South Africa and abroad. Golden Key became my global family and one always had the feeling of being part of a growing and impactful organisation.

Not only does Golden Key give recognition to its members and provide personal development programs, but more importantly it gives back to the community. I was inspired to see a group of people coming together and organising events to benefit people in their communities…from little kiddies at crèches, to school kids and the greater community.

 I am glad to have made Golden Key a part of my life and will always treasure my time spent in service. Quite unexpectedly, I happened to meet my other half thanks to Golden Key too. The Golden Key International Conference of 2007 not only gave me the opportunity to attend amazing workshops and networking events, but it’s the place where I met Cedric! So you see, there are other benefits in addition to the traditional ones you are told about at those Information Table events!

Liz-Marie Basson was selected to represent South Africa as the Council of Student Member Representative at the 2010 International Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. She has been actively involved in Golden Key activities since 2007. As the current chapter President at the University of Pretoria, she has the potential to motivate Golden Key student members to excel academically, develop their leadership skills and participate in community engagement activities at a chapter level. We wish Liz-Marie all the best with her duties as CoSM.

We want to congratulate Elme Bekker from the University of Stellenbosch for being named the winner of the 2010 Golden Key International Visual and Performing Arts Achievement Award. Elme said, "The achievement of this award is an honour and a boost of confidence to my emerging career. The decision to be a fashion designer is not without risk and winning this bursary indicates that I am on the right track with my designs and illustrations. I will use this award to buy a designated computer and software compatible to my trade and thereby significantly increase my productivity and the sophistication of my work."

Ansa Brink, former Golden Key Chapter President at the University of Pretoria and Student Leader of the Year winner in South Africa in 2008, shared some thoughts on her experiences studying abroad.

"It is a dream come true. I am currently completing a dual master's degree, MCom Econometrics at the University of Pretoria (UP) and MSc Economics at Tilburg University (UVT), Netherlands. Adapting to the lifestyle and spending in Euros did take some time but making new friends, attending new and exciting seminars and the opportunity to meet and interact with people from different cultures from across the world makes more than up for the VERY COLD weather, all the rain and the constant snow. My years at UP, has definitely been filled with great experiences. I’ve learned that the more you put into something the more you get out and if you attempt more, there is no real time for procrastination, which makes any time spent more efficient and effective. My two years on the Executive committee of Golden Key have taught me that anything is possible with motivation, determination and a strong support structure of family and friends and colleagues." 

Golden Key South Africa is proud to announce Ryan Meintjes as the 2009 Student Leader of the Year.

Ryan is currently a BCom Honours in Economics student and is completing his 4^th year LLB Degree. Ryan was also named the 2008 Sasol Golden key Award winner in the Law category. Under his leadership, where he is currently serving his second consecutive year as president at the North-West University chapter they had the most successful membership drive for 2009 and they also represented South Africa at the 2009 International conference at Orlando, Florida by claiming first place for the CitiZenShip Showcase. In his spare time Ryan enjoys participating in debating tournaments at the university.

He also partakes in various Law related outreach programs. He is the founder and chairperson of the Nutrisport Charity Organisation which aims to enhance longevity, healthy living and a well balanced life amongst disadvantaged communities. This organization also has members reaching out in England.  Ryan is an ambitious young man who takes great pride in his work, he is also dedicated and passionate about what he does.  He truly deserves this award.
CONGRATULATIONS, RYAN!

University of Pretoria – US$1000.00

The Golden Key Pretoria chapter has been actively involved in their community for the past 3 years. They believe that through long term investment within a community, change is possible. Their projects aim to uplift and empower less fortunate individuals to create a better future for themselves. The chapter received an award of US$1000 to assist them in continuing with their initiatives. Well done!

University of the Free State – US$1000.00

Congratulations to the University of the Free State Chapter! This chapter’s dedication and commitment to community engagement has had a major impact on the surrounding communities in the Free State area. The chapter received an award of US$1000 to assist them in continuing with their initiatives. Well done and keep up the good work!

2009 Sasol Golden Key Excellence Award Winners

Congratulations to this year’s Sasol Golden Key Excellence Award winners! Each of these winners each receives R10 000 that will contribute to their post-graduate studies in 2010. The judging panel faced a challenging task as there were outstanding candidates. They are well-deserving winners and each one has excellent academic records, remarkable leadership skills and shown thorough community engagement.

Congratulations to Fabian Saptouw South African Golden Key who was names the Winner for Mixed Media category under the Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship & Award. He is a member since 2005 at the University of Cape Town and we are proud to have such talent within our borders! Fabian comments, "I am very honored to have been chosen as a recipient of a Golden Key - Visual and Performing Arts – Mixed Media Award for 2009. The knowledge that my application was selected from a group of highly qualified applicants inspires me to stay committed to my field of study. I greatly appreciate the funding provided by Golden Key, which I will use to finance the remainder of my Master of Fine Art Degree. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Golden Key and the selection panel for considering me worthy of this prestigious award."

South African Chapters were named the winners of the CitizenSHIP Showcase contest at the International Golden Key Conference 2009.

1st place    North-West University with Community Service and Membership Drive
2nd place   University of Cape Town with Golden Key University of Cape Town 2009 Projects
3rd place    University of Pretoria with Pretoria Service Projects 2009
 
Thank you to these chapters as well as other chapters who also participated and represented their universities at this international event: University of the Western Cape, University of Johannesburg, the University of Stellenbosch and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
 

It is with great pleasure for Golden Key to congratulate the University of Pretoria Golden Key Chapter for excellent community service initiatives and efforts to uplift the young generation of our country. You all make us proud. The chapter will receive US$1000 to assist them to continue with their community projects.
 

University of the Free State - COMMUNITY OUTREACH AWARD

(Under the leadership of outgoing chapter president, Pietro Pretorius).

University of Stellenbosch - LITERACY AWARD

(Under the leadership of outgoing chapter president, Liebe Kouta).

University of Pretoria – BEST MEMBERSHIP DRIVE AWARD

(Under the leadership of outgoing chapter president, Ansa Brink).

University of Cape Town – BEST COMMUNICATION AWARD

(Under the leadership of outgoing chapter president, Reshen Naidoo).
 

4 South Africans received International Scholarships and Awards and we want to congratulate the following Golden Key members:

Liz Marie Basson, Community Service Award valued at $500 donated ($250 to Danville Rooms), University of Pretoria.

Shital Assivankumar, GEICO Life Scholarship valued at $1000, University of Pretoria.

Clement Papy Nkubizi, GEICO Life Scholarship valued at $1000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Klara-Marie den Heijer, Visual and Performing Arts valued at $500, University of Stellenbosch.

This shows that we in SA do have the talent to bring these awards home and we encourage you not to stand back, but actually apply.

Prof Charl Cilliers                            Dr Derek Swemmer
University of Stellenbosch              University of theWitwatersrand

Congratulations to Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University student Melissa May, who has recently been awarded the Golden Key Education Achievement Award.  

The Education Achievement Award recognises three Golden Key members who excel in the study of education.  Golden Key awards $400,000 USD in scholarships and grants annually to qualifying members.

Active Golden Key members from any of the Society’s chapters may apply for this award, but only three outstanding members are selected to receive this honour.  May was selected from a pool of eligible candidates to receive a $1,000 USD award from the Society.  She submitted an essay entitled “Challenges facing schools in a South African context with reference to HIV/AIDS and language policy”.

May plans to continue her studies by enrolling for an Honours degree next year: “It is a great thing when achievement in a field so often unrecognised and unappreciated, is indeed noted and rewarded!  I am grateful to Golden Key for helping me truly realise my full potential and for supporting growth in my studies”.

Congratulations to Dr Derek Swemmer of the University of the Witwatersrand!  Dr Swemmer, the Registrar of Wits, has been a Golden Key Advisor since 2002.  Over the past couple of years, he has made significant contributions to furthering Golden Key’s mission at his university, in South Africa and internationally.  His approach to “Advising” is to lay a good foundation and then to give students the creative freedom to implement, while maintaining an open-door policy.  He has also recently been elected to serve on the Golden Key International Board of Directors.