Golden Key International Honour Society

Golden Key International Honour Society
Motto	To enable members to realize their potential through the advancement of academics, leadership and service.
Formation	November 29, 1977
Type	Honor society
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Location	United States
Membership	Over 2 million
Website	www.goldenkey.org

The Golden Key International Honour Society (formerly Golden Key National Honor Society) is an Atlanta, Georgia-based non-profit organization founded in 1977 to recognise academic achievement among college and university students in all disciplines.

Golden Key currently has over 400 chapters at colleges and universities in eight countries: Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, The Bahamas and the United States. Golden Key is the world's largest collegiate honor society. Membership into Golden Key is by invitation only, to the top 15% of college/university 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students and top performing US graduate students in all fields of study, based solely on the criteria of their academic achievements.

History

Golden Key was founded by a group of undergraduate students and faculty members at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 29, 1977.

In 2001, the society modified its name to Golden Key International Honour Society to reflect its diversity and global presence. The spelling of "Honour" was utilized to observe the more globally accepted spelling.

Activities

Golden Key offers a number of services for its members. These include resumé and graduate program assistance, career planning and opportunities, leadership opportunities, networking, and member discounts. Golden Key offers more than $1,000,000 annually in scholarships and awards to its members along with a variety of other opportunities, both academic and career. Golden Key's core values include community service and its chapters are involved in a wide variety of volunteer projects in their local communities such as Habitat for Humanity, Terry Fox Run, Make a Difference Day, and various literacy service opportunities. The Golden Key International Honour Society was among 10 organizations to receive the In2Books Community Service Award in 2010.

Golden Key is an active member of several organizations, including the Association of College Honor Societies, an American agency certifying college and university honor societies. Other organizations Golden Key is involved with include:

• National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC)
• National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)
• Association of International Educators (NAFSA)
• National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA)
• American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)

Golden Key is governed by an international Board of Directors. Its volunteer advisory structure includes the International Leadership Council, the Council of Advisors and the Council of Student Members.

Fund distribution

In non-profit corporations' fund usage, it is the recommended practice for a 65%/35% ratio to exist comparing "programs" to G&A and fundraising. Golden Key's ratio for 2008 was 84/16, in 2009 88/12, in 2010 85/12 and in 2011 86/14; thus the Society is currently utilizing its funds in a way that is well above and beyond the "recommended practice."^{[citation needed]} Golden Key publishes its annual reports every year in August and makes them available online. In addition, Golden Key is a certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies. ACHS is the United States's only certifying agency for college/university honor societies. Golden Key is one of 63 organizations that have met the standards of ACHS.

Questions were raised over the amount of money spent on Golden Key's scholarships.^{[citation needed]} Articles in the University of British Columbia student newspaper, The Ubyssey, examined the society's finances and scholarship practices. It was noted in The Ubyssey that in 1997 salaries, management and general expenses totaled almost 47 percent of the total expenditures. The information printed in the Ubyssey is not the practice of the Society today.^{[citation needed]} The society is continually increasing their scholarship offerings and currently awards over $1,000,000 annually in scholarships and awards. All financials since 2008 have been made publicly available on their website and are audited by third party auditors.

Each local chapter receives funding from Golden Key headquarters and may use this money as they see fit to run various events and community service projects. A variable amount (minimum $100) of additional funds are allocated for in-house chapter cash scholarships. The amount given for these local scholarships is based on the number of members inducted, which is then distributed by the local chapter in accordance with their determined criteria. Some criteria may include active participation in chapter service projects and meeting attendance. Most chapters divide their available chapter scholarships into three awards: one each for Sophomore, Junior and Senior students.

Honorary members

Honorary members are elected by Golden Key. They do not necessarily endorse the validity of the Golden Key organization or participate in its activities.

Well-known honorary members include:

• Roberta Bondar, Canada's First Female Astronaut
• Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada
• Cooper Randall, Australian Biochemist
• William J. Clinton, Former US President
• Ujjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, Canadian lawyer and politician
• Bill Cosby, Entertainer
• Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (Nobel Peace Prize Laureate)
• Ronald W. Reagan, Former US President
• Ian Thorpe, Olympic Gold Medalist
• Braden, Brown, U.S Army Soldier, Combat Veteran 2003-2012
• Riaan Manser - Solo adventurer and motivational speaker
• Clem Sunter - Professional speaker, scenario planner and author
• Tupac Amaru Shakur - Entertainer
• Nicol David - No.1 women's squash player in the world
• Quentin Bryce - Governor General of Australia
• Mohammad Ranjbar
• Professor Patrick McGorry - Australian of the Year 2010
• Richard M. Daley - Mayor of Chicago
• Eddie Sutton - Former Men's Basketball Coach at Oklahoma State
• Dolly Parton - Entertainer
• Metta World Peace - Professional Basketball Player
• Ted Stevens - Former U.S. Senator
• Donny Osmond - Entertainer
• Julian Bond - Civil Rights Activist
• Joseph P. Kennedy II - Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Thomas Menino - Mayor of Boston
• Tim Tebow - Former Heisman Trophy Winner at the University of Florida
• Tom Allen - Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Robert Sylvester Kelly - Entertainer
• Mike Krzyzewski - Men's Basketball Coach at Duke University
• Bobby Bowden - Former Head Football Coach at Florida State University
• Charlie Crist - Former Governor of Florida
• Jim Perdue - Chairman of Perdue Farms
• Myron Rolle - Rhodes Scholar and current member of the NFL's Tennessee Titans
• Margaret Atwood - Canadian Author and Poet
• Thomas Bryant Lewis, II

External links

• Golden Key International Honour Society official website
• Association of College Honor Societies website
• Better Business Bureau website