More than 30 students became members of the AU chapter of the Golden Key honor society during a ceremony at the Kay Spiritual Life Center Saturday.
"It went off without a hitch," said Jessica Evitts, the chapter's president and a senior in the Kogod School of Business and School of Public Affairs.
In addition to celebrating the new inductees, Golden Key presented an honorary membership to U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Deanna Nieves, who is currently serving as a military legislative fellow to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.
During her keynote address during the ceremony, Nieves said that what separated Golden Key from other honor societies was its large alumni association.
"They help each other out," she said. "That's something I think that other honor societies aren't doing as well as they could be doing."
It is important to listen to others, Nieves said.
"Listen twice as much as you talk," she said. "No matter how much you think you know, or how much you've learned, there's always someone who knows something that you don't."
Golden Key was the first international honors society, according to Evitts. The organization has more than 300 chapters in seven countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, according to the society's Web site.
Blair Coward, a junior in the School of International Service who became a member of Golden Key at the ceremony, said she decided to join the organization because of its international aspect.
"I think it's a good stepping point to meet people and figure out what exactly I want to do, and whether I want to go to the business sector or stay in the non-profits," she said.
Golden Key recruits its members by sending invitations to students at participating universities who have at least a 3.5 GPA and are in the top 15 percent of their class. If students choose to accept, they must pay a $70 membership fee before they are inducted.
The AU chapter, which chartered in 1990, has nearly 200 members. The organization focuses mostly on literacy-based philanthropy, but the AU chapter hopes to expand its repertoire this semester, Evitts said.
One of the chapter's goals this semester is to increase its presence on campus, she said.
"We want to make [Golden Key] an organization that when someone gets that invitation in the mail, they're excited and feel very honored to join it," Evitts said. "And with that comes involvement of the [current] members. Hopefully that will increase our member participation."
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