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Jan/Feb 2025 | Vol. 82 No. 1
Jan/Feb 2025 | Vol. 82 No. 1

DKG INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS FOUNDATION COLUMN

DKGIEF & You: The Future of the Golden Gift Fund

Golden Gift Fund History:

he Golden Gift Fund, managed by the DKG International Educators Foundation
T(DKGIEF), provides transformative, professional leadership and management seminars designed to
empower women in their careers and communities. The fund originated in 1974, during planning for the Society’s
Golden Anniversary celebration when the vision of creating a lasting legacy for leadership development was
born. Spearheaded by a generous donation from the late Dr. Eula Lee Carter (Texas), the fund was officially
established, and members were encouraged to contribute one dollar annually for five years leading up to the
celebration. Until 2019, the program sponsored by this fund was called the Leadership Management Seminar.

The inaugural Leadership Management Seminar was held in 1980 at Baylor University. After moving briefly to
the University of Illinois in 1984, it found a permanent home at the University of Texas at Austin in 1985, where
it partnered with the McCombs School of Business. To this day, acclaimed experts lead sessions to enhance
participants’ leadership, communication, and management skills, with additional workshops focused on DKG
leadership and organizational development.

Transition from Leadership Management Seminar to DKG Ignite:

The 2018-2020 Golden Gift Fund Committee celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Leadership Management
Seminar (LMS) by introducing a refreshed format to meet the evolving needs of DKG members. The updated
leadership program brought exciting changes, including a new name — DKG Ignite: Leaders Empowering Leaders
Program (or simply DKG Ignite) — a redesigned structure, and an enriched overall experience with more modern,
relevant training.
Today, DKG Ignite is offered to DKG members throughout the Society in even-numbered years, usually in
July. The program has been condensed to one week yet maintains a sharp focus on leadership development.
The number of participants has been reduced to create a more
personalized experience, and evening sessions have been added

to address topics that support participants’ well-being. Most
importantly, the curriculum has been modernized to reflect 21st-
century leadership practices.
DKG Ignite is designed for both established and emerging
leaders looking to expand their skills and seize new opportunities
for growth. The program empowers, motivates, and “ignites”
participants, helping them unlock and realize their full potential.

A look inside the 2024 DKG Ignite program.
Benefits of DKG Ignite: Photo by Wendy Hacke, OR.

DKG Ignite: Leaders Empowering Leaders Program is an immersive, one-week program that provides an
exciting opportunity to strengthen leadership skills in a dynamic environment. Attendees benefit from rich peer-
to-peer collaboration and expert instruction from the world-class faculty at the highly ranked McCombs School
of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. See IEF p. 7

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