Annual Report – Programmatic Section

 

Please complete this template below to share programmatic highlights.  The entire report can be three pages or less.  Please share information and highlights, in a letter-like or reporting format, that addresses the following three categories and provides a synopsis of your Bonner Program this year.

 

Implementation of Student Development: 

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How did you implement the developmental model this year within your co-curricular and service activities? (suggested one page text):

 

The Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CCESL) experienced transition, and as a result the leadership of the Bonner Program changed several times.  The program currently falls under the direction of the Assistant Director of CCESL (Sarah Entenmann), who took charge of the program in January 2009.  From the Fall 2008 to Spring 2009 the Bonner Program grew from nine leaders to twelve.  In January the Bonner Leaders participated in a student leader training.  The focus of the Spring 2009 semester was training all Bonner Leaders on BWBRs 3.0, adjustment to new leadership, and discssion of Bonner program growth at HWS. 

 

In January the student leader training consisted of sessions that focused on the following:

     Teamwork

     Goal Setting

     Defining Service

     Reflection

     Communication

 

Since January the Bonner Leaders met weekly as a group, for one hour each week. The content of those meetings included the following:

     "Bonner Love" Speed Dating

      Four Corners Exercise

     BWBRs Training

     Wiki Training

     Delegation: Discussion & Challenge

     Alternative Spring Break: Discussion

     Recruitment

 

All Bonner Leaders also met weekly with their supervisor.  The focus of said meetings was to disucss personal progress, growth and challenges. 

 

Senior capstone projects included the senior Bonner Leaders (Jacqui & Razya) participating in the Senior Symposium.  The Senior Symposium was an event sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning.  The event promotes a love of learning and encourages student engagement.  The event was an opportunity for the Bonner Leaders to showcase their work and present to the HWS community.  

 

We had mixed results with students working on the Serve 2.0, students who were returning Bonner Leaders for the Spring of 2009 excelled at creating wikipages, and took pride in their work.  We will continue to work on our usage of social media, including the goal of better using tools like wiki pages.  

 

Scheduling conflicts prevented Bonner Leaders from attending the Impact Conference.  The Spring 2009 also brought conversation with Amhearst regarding scheduling of a service exchange trip.

 

Implementation of Community Partnerships: 

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Please share a summary of your work with community partners, touching in particular on the following categories (suggested one page text):

 

Rather than being site based, we chose to have the HWS Bonners help to drive different parts of the CCESL strategic plan developed over the summer of 2007 and to be issue based.  Community partnerships appear in blue.   Bonner Leaders for the 2008-2009 year include: 

 

• Civic Engagement and Political Activism (Fall 08). Amanda Ward
• Hobart Athletes for Geneva’s Youth (Fall 08). Cliff Gardner
• William Smith Athletes for Geneva’s Youth (Fall 08).  Kerry Cahill  
• Senior Intern (Fall 08-Spring 09).  Jacqui Sands
• Junior Intern (Fall 08-Spring 09) . Michael Austerlitz (Community Lunch Program)
• Service-Learning (Fall 08-Spring 09). Franchessca Branlund
• Literacy (Fall 08-Spring 09).  Kelsey Lagana (Geneva City School District, Geneva Public Library)
• Environmental Outreach (Fall 08-Spring 09).  Rayza Santiago (Geneva High School, Finger Lakes Institute)

• What Do You Stand For First Year Initiative. (Fall 08-Spring 09) Caleb Campbell (Geneva High School)
• Disaster Response (Spring 09). Nathan Campbell
• Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning Outreach (Spring 09).  Anna Hineline (Community Lunch Program, American Red Cross)
• Boys and Girls Club (Spring 09).  Samantha Tripoli 
• Big Brothers, Big Sisters (Spring 09).  Stephanie Wells 
• Political Activism (Spring 09).  Amanda Ward 
• Geneva High School Outreach (Spring 09). Cliff Gardner

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In the Spring of 2009 it has come to light and been emphasized the importance of community partnerships, this is inpart due to changes in BWBRs. The HWS Bonner Leader Program will eventually begin to transition from strictly issue based to a model that includes more defined partnerships- moving toward a site based model.  While CCESL has many community partners, we have found that when asked, the Bonner Leaders often struggle to identify a single community partner they are working with- this partially explains the lack of partners listed above.  For example, the Bonner Leader for Service-Learning works with a minimum of five community partners each semester, but the Bonner reports internally to a staff person in CCESL. 

 

Campus-wide Culture and Infrastructure: 

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Please describe key elements and progress in the development of campus-wide infrastructure and the role of the Bonner Program in enhancing (or being enhanced by) campus-wide culture and participation in service, touching on the following (suggested one page text):

 

A critical component of the ethic of service at the Colleges is the Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CCESL) which was organizationally moved last year from Student Affairs to Academic Affairs.  This move was made in recognition of the emphasis we want to place on Service-Learning and also reflects Bonner Foundation Priorities.  The Center stands for learning through service that produces students who are civically engaged and graduates who are active, global citizens.  It does this by providing the opportunities that help students build the skills necessary for active citizenship.  To further that end, CCESL has created HWS Compass, our developmental model of civic engagement.  As stated elsewhere, the Bonner Leaders were instrumental in the driving of the Compass model.  Through Compass, students are encouraged to explore the many facets of service to society.  A three tiered program, it provides experiences in Community Service, Civic Engagement, and Civic Leadership that chart the course to a life of Engaged Citizenship.  In many ways it is similar to the Bonner 5 “Es”.  The tiers are designed as follows:

 

• The first is Community Service, a chance for the students to explore their options for volunteering with an emphasis on benefits to the community.  There is little intentional reflective learning at this level but rather an opportunity for students to be exposed to helping in the community and getting into the “service habit”.  Examples of this are Day of Service or preparing meals at the Community Lunch Program.

 

• The second tier is Civic Engagement, where students develop a deeper connection with their service work, gaining as much from the experience as the people they are working with.   Reflecting on connections between the service and other aspects of the student’s life is more intentional at this level. Examples of this include service-learning classes, being an America Reads tutor, or participating on an Alternative Break trip.

 

• Tier three is Civic Leadership.  At this level a student who has gained experience at the other levels now puts that expertise to work organizing resources to tackle an issue in the community.  The goal is meaningful change and developing the student’s leadership abilities.  Examples of this are Jane Erickson ‘07’s work with HWS Votes! and the Bonner Leader program, where students are helping to implement key components of the CCESL strategic plan. 

 

• These tiers point the student toward a life of Engaged Citizenship, where service and community involvement is not just something a person does but a core component of who they are, no matter what their career.  This individual serves on boards, gets involved with their children’s activities, is an informed voter, writes letters to the editor, volunteers for non-profits, etc.

 

Students are connected with service and engagement opportunities on-campus, in the area surrounding Geneva, outside the local region and even internationally. These experiences are meant to help students develop citizenship skills such as leadership, self-awareness, and recognizing societal needs while making a material change that will help meet identified community needs. A major component of these experiences is academic and co-curricular service-learning, linking the service activity to intentional reflection that clearly places the service in a larger context, whether that is with classroom content or experiencing first hand the response to Hurricane Katrina.

 

In 2007-08 the Bonner Leaders assisted in providing opportunities and support on all of these tiers.  Indeed we could not have implemented the model without them.

 

 

1. Key relationships and activities involving faculty and academic connections.  In particular, what work was done with relevant coursework, a minor, or other curricular integration.
2. Key relationships and activities involving other departments or divisions on campus (for example for recruitment, student wellness or retention, financial aid, and so on).
3. Unique initiatives (such as events or strategic planning) that have enhanced institutionalization of service and civic engagement on campus.