In her address, Dorette Visser Parsons, director of Golden Key South Africa, congratulated the students on their membership to the prestige honour society and said that the NWU chapters of society have seen vibrant growth over the years.
She also explained the prestige of a Golden Key membership, stating that the society is affiliated globally with more than 400 universities throughout Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zeeland, South Africa and the United Sates. The society’s mission is to enable members to realise their potential by connecting individual achievement with service and lifelong-learning opportunities.
Golden Key South Africa started in 2000 and has thus far touched the lives of more than 70 000 young South Africans.
The keynote address was delivered by Mr Warren Makgowe, the director for stakeholder relations, and in his speech he focused on inspirational leadership. He shared four leadership characteristics with the audience and drew from experiences that helped to shape him as a leader. These characteristics include: volunteerism, preparation through training, teamwork and leading by example.
Chapter award winners
Each year during the new member recognition ceremony the society announces the winners of the prestigious Chapter Awards. Golden Key members apply for these awards online and the winners are chosen based on their academic achievements, work commitments, extracurricular activities, leadership positions and commitment to community service.
Siyabonga Hlope and Yolande Coetzer were announced the winners of the NWU Vanderbijlpark chapter.
Siyabonga Hlope is a BEd student boasting a cumulative academic average of 78%. He was named as the top Education performer in geography and curriculum development. As a member of the BEd Society and having served as a communications officer and community engagement officer for the Brotherhood youth movement, Siyabonga has proven his leadership abilities.
Yolande Coetzer obtained her BAHons degree with distinction and boast a cumulative academic average of 80%. During her studies she collaborated in an international research project and presented an action research project in the USA. Nationally she presented workshops on a violence prevention toolkit in Durban and Cape Town. She is busy with her master’s degree and is working with an NPO in Bethlehem to establish a violence prevention programme. Yolande is a member of Hoërskool Dr Malan’s governing body and provides free counselling at the school in Meyerton to students and parents.
Dorette Visser Parsons and Siyabonga Hlope.
Dorette Visser Parsons and Yolande Coetzer.
