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The Bonner Program:Overview

“Access to Education,Opportunity to

Serve”A program of:The Corella & Bertram Bonner Foundation10 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ 08540(609) 924-6663 • (609) 683-4626 fax

For more information, please visit our website at www.bonner.org

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Bonner Foundation Mission

Through sustained partnerships

of colleges and congregations

the Bonner Foundation seeks to improve the lives of

individuals and communities by helping meet the basic

needs of nutrition and educational opportunity.

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History

• Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation• Incorporated in the late 1980s

• Crisis Ministry Program• Supports Congregationally-affiliated hunger relief

initiatives (approximately $650,000 per year)• Bonner Scholar Program

• Piloted at Berea College in 1990-91• Currently 1500 students on 27 campuses in 12

states• More than 3000 Bonner Scholar alumni

• Bonner Leader Program• Piloted in mid-1990s in New Jersey• Currently 1000+ students on 45+ campuses

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Facts at a Glance

AlaskaUniversity of Alaska, AnchorageCaliforniaCalifornia State University Los AngelesPepperdine UniversitySaint Mary’s College of CaliforniaSonoma State UniversityUniversity of California BerkeleyUniversity of California DavisUniversity of California Los AngelesUniversity of California Santa CruzUniversity of Southern CaliforniaFloridaJacksonville UniversityStetson UniversityGeorgiaBerry CollegeMorehouse CollegeSpelman CollegeIdahoBrigham Young UniversityIdaho State UniversityUniversity of Idaho

TennesseeCarson-Newman CollegeMaryville College Rhodes CollegeTusculum College VirginiaAppalachian School of LawBluefield CollegeEmory and Henry CollegeFerrum CollegeLynchburg CollegeSouthwest Virginia Community CollegeUniversity of RichmondWashington and Lee UniversityWashingtonCentral Washington UniversityNW Learning & Achievement GroupWhitworth CollegeWest VirginiaConcord CollegeWest Virginia WesleyanWheeling Jesuit University

IndianaDePauw UniversityEarlham CollegeKansasWashburn UniversityKentuckyBerea CollegeCentre CollegeLindsay Wilson CollegeUnion CollegeUniversity of Louisville MarylandHood CollegeMissouriCollege of the OzarksNorth CarolinaDavidson CollegeGuilford CollegeLees McRae CollegeMars Hill CollegePfeiffer UniversityWarren Wilson College

New JerseyMiddlesex County CollegeRider UniversityThe College of New JerseyOhioAntioch CollegeDefiance CollegeOberlin CollegeUniversity of DaytonOregonPortland State UniversityPennsylvaniaAllegheny CollegeDickinson CollegeJuniata CollegeMessiah CollegeWaynesburg CollegeWest Chester UniversitySouth CarolinaConverse College Wofford College

• Working with 68 colleges and universities in 20 states

• Engaging 2,500 students through 27 Bonner Scholar and 41 Bonner Leader Programs

• We’ve given $120 million to campus programs over the past 15 years

• Each year, students are cumulatively providing 700,000 hours of service

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Bonner Program Goals

• Students• To afford college students an opportunity to use their energy,

talents, and leadership skills to engage in community service while providing developmental and financial support.

• Campus• To challenge and strengthen a “culture of service” in which the

school’s teaching, research, and service mission are integrated and every student, faculty, and staff is encouraged to serve.

• Community• To facilitate greater cooperation and communication between

the campus and the community by channeling the energies and talents of college students faculty, and staff to help address the challenges and opportunities of a local community.

• Higher Education• To form a consortium of diverse higher education institutions

sharing a common commitment to service and to serve as a successful model to other institutions which are interested in starting service-based scholarship programs.

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The Common Commitments

Diversity: Respect the many different dimensions of diversity in our public lives.

Civic Engagement: Participate intentionally as a citizen in the democratic process, actively engaging in public policy and direct service.

Community Building: Establish and sustain a vibrant community of place, personal relationships and common interests.

Social Justice: Advocate for

fairness, impartiality and

equality while addressing systemic

social and environmental

issues.

International Perspective: Develop international

understanding that enables Bonner Scholars to participate

successfully in a global society.

Spiritual Exploration: Explore personal beliefs

while respecting the spiritual practices of others.

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Key Program Features

• Team-based Program– Multi-year program with 10-100 Bonner

Scholars/Leaders per campus (5-25 per class)– Coordinated by an on-campus director and coordinator– Partnered with site supervisors at each community

agency• Community Outreach

– 10 hour per week plus full-time summers (summer optional for BLP based on funding availability)

– 80% Direct service, 20% Training and Enrichment– Students select where they want to serve– Students also serve as service project leaders

• Student Development– Supported through regular training and enrichment

activities– Increased expectations each year in the program

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Financial Structure

Bonner Scholar– 4 year model– 10 hrs/wk school

year– 2-3 summer service

internships– Bonner Foundation

pays student stipend– Bonner Foundation

supports other program costs (service trips, community fund, etc.)

vs.

Bonner Leader– 2-4 year model– 10 hrs/wk school

year– maybe summer– Institutional work-

study or scholarships pay for student stipends

– Institution or grants supports other program costs (service trips, trainings, etc.)

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Bonner AmeriCorps Option

• AmeriCorps Education Awards– 2 YR 900 hr term = $2,362.50 Ed

Award– 1 YR 450 hr term = $1,250.00 Ed

Award– 1 YR 300 hr term = $1,000.00 Ed.

Award

• Campus request slots from Bonner Foundation

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Implementation Areas

Campus Infrastruct

ure

Community Impact

Student Developme

nt

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Community Partnership Model

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Comprehensive Placement Process

• High quality community partnerships• Community Learning Agreement• Logging service & training hours• Reporting service accomplishments• End-of-Semester Student Reflections • One-on-one individual coaching by

Bonner staff

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Student Development Approach

• Experience• Skills• Values• Knowledge

Our student development approach offers students a journey including opportunities to develop:

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A Comprehensive Program

• Retreats & community building events

• 10 hours of service weekly during the academic year (300 hour total)

• At least one full-time summer of service

• Intensive training and enrichment activities, including meetings

• Consistent reflection

• Advising and mentorship

• Increasing levels of leadership and responsibility, in service and on campus

• Integrating the Common Commitments

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Supported by Sustained Activities

Each Year

•Placement/ Community Learning Agreement (each semester)

•Weekly to Monthly meetings by class

•Monthly meetings with all Bonners

•One-on-one interviews each semester

•Reapply

Over Two to Four Years•Selection•Orientation•First Year Service Trip•Second Year Service Exchange

•Recommitment Exercise•Junior Enrichment Project•Summer Service•Final (Senior) Presentation of Learning

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Building in Skill Development

Personal Skills Leadership Skills

Professional Skills

• Active listening• Balance/boundaries• Communication• Decision making• Organization• Planning• Reflection• Time management• Goal setting

• Conflict resolution• Delegation• Planning• Public speaking• Running a meeting• Teamwork• Working with diverse

groups• Civic engagement

(voting)

• Budgeting• Evaluation/research• Event planning• Fundraising• Grant writing• Marketing / public relations

• Mediation• Networking• Public education / advocacy

• Volunteer management

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Pulling It Together: Developmental Roadmap (5 E’s)

Expectation

Exploration

Experience

Example

Expertise

Co-Curricular Activities(Training & Enrichment,Reflection, and Advising)

Academic linkages(Service-learning, CBR, minor, major & certificates)

Through Service(Developmental placements, learning through action)

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Through Service: Increasing Leadership

Expectation

Exploration - occasional volunteer

Experience - regular volunteer

Example - team leader/coordinator

Expertise - specialist

Exposure to the neighborhood, agencies, issue areas and types of placements; Service Trip;Summer in the hometown

Prior experience in “service” including in one’s family

Development of greater focus; commitment to one agency and type of placement; Exchange;Summer in a new area

Continued development of focus; demonstrated knowledge and skill as project coordinatorPossible third summer (abroad or career connection)

Culminating project or capstone;Academic connection;Future-focused

Placements evolve to offer increasing complexity and responsibility

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Through Co-Curricular: Intentional Skill Support

Expectation

Exploration

Experience

Example

Expertise

Community knowledgePersonal exploration & reflectionSetting goalsTime management

Introduction to BonnerWork ethic & professionalism

Critical thinkingDiversity awarenessGroup dynamics & communicationProject planningIntroduction to social issues/civics

Academic ConnectionLeading inquiry & reflectionPersonal and civic valuesProject coordinationResource development

Academic ResearchCareer planning & vocationEvaluationNetworkingPublic SpeakingSkills for lifelong involvement

Training and enrichment opportunities support students to develop skills

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Through Academics: Knowledge and Analysis

Expectation

Exploration

Experience

Example

Expertise

Lead-In Course

Coursework (varying orders):• Poverty• Politics & policy• Issue related (education, arts, race, etc.) & service learning

Coursework (varying orders):• As in “experience” level• International• Internships

InternshipsCapstones

Enhancing the rigor of students’ knowledge development and learning

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Foundation Resources

• Networking– Bonner Program consortium of 70+ schools– 130+ Bonner Partner Organizations

• Web/Print– 50+ Planned Co-curricular Training Modules– Handbooks & Implementation Guides

• Meetings/Training– Director & Coordinators– Bonner Congress– Summer Leadership Institute

• Bonner Web-Based Reporting System• Assessment• Collaborative Fundraising

(AmeriCorps Ed Awards, FIPSE, etc.)• Foundation staff campus visits