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: 

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

1. The role of trainings, courses, & meetings 
2. First Year Trip
3. Second Year Exchange
4. Third Year (and beyond) Leadership Roles
5. Senior Capstone & Presentation of Learning

Implementation of Student Development Model:

Our Bonner orientation was two days and consisted of outlining their responsibilities and our expectations for their impact on campus life at Lindsey Wilson College. Students received Lindsey Wilson College binders and forms concerning their new role as Bonner Leaders. The first day of orientation was held at Camp Kentahten with Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation. We completed a low ropes course, high elements course, and participated in some other team building and leadership activities with a Lindsey Wilson Alum who was also Director of Camp Kentahten.

On the second day, we held a Community Partners Appreciation Dinner where our students learned about the site expectations and responsibilities; and, they met their site supervisor.

We have meetings at least once a month and two meetings some months. We starting have weekly class meetings (FR one week, SO another week, etc.) but due to scheduling of service and classes, not all could meet. This year, we will try to meet twice monthly. Our students also receive training and enrichment from the campus Cultural Events Series.

Our new dean of academics will be starting a co-curricular transcript for all students involved in service and various other extracurricular activities. In 2009, the bonners may also be participating in a Workforce Development initiative where they will be trained to train citizens in Adair County how to write a resume, interview, dress for success; and, assist in the start-up of a ‘professional clothes closet’ for the people in the community who can’t afford professional clothing. This has been discussed with committee members of LEAD Adair County.

The common commitments are very apparent in everything we do. We have 11 community partners and they represent our commitments. The only leadership position we have had up to this point has been Bonner Congress and Senior Interns. The leadership position as the program coordinator is being implemented this year. Holli Clevenger will act as Program Coordinator for Camp Casey and the Center for Courageous Kids. Every student is assisted with their career path, resume development, and graduate or job search. This easily incorporated in the bonner leader program because Amy Thompson-Wells is the Director of Career Services as well.

Student reflection improved for 07-08 vs. 05-06. Each student kept a journal (like a diary) but did not utilize BWBRS for their journal entries. We are hoping with pbwiki, facebook, etc., that journaling will be routine. We also need to improve on consistent one-on-one meetings. We do have many walk-ins from the bonners and strongly encourage this. The students do not have portfolios but do complete a resume with career services, complete interest inventories, and mock interviewing for professional development.

Because of its diversity and overwhelming homeless population, our service trip will take place in January 2008 in Chicago. Chicago houses the largest public housing project in the world – The Robert Taylor Homes. Women comprise 34% of Chicago’s homeless population. 

We served through the Center for Student Missions. Our schedule consisted of working at Cornerstone Community Outreach (women’s shelter), Tom Seay Salvation Army (serving breakfast and lunch to homeless and low income individuals), YMCA – Low Income housing for Senior citizens (we played Bingo with them), Bethlehem Community Baptist Church (assisted with extreme clean-up efforts inside church), and an Immersion Activity (three groups of students were given directions and instructions into the city to interview members of the community of what they like best about Chicago and what can be improved). Each evening, after our service, we debriefed and reflected on our day’s events as they related to our six common commitments of: civic engagement, social justice, diversity, international perspective, community building, and spiritual exploration. Each student was given an assignment regarding their visit to The Art Institute of Chicago. Here are some quotes from our students about their Chicago experiences:

“The Chicago Bonner Leader service trip never failed to push me out of my comfort zone. I encountered situations and viewpoints that were new. Each service site gave me a fresh perspective and I’m better for every moment of it.” – Cherise Mingus ‘09

"Through Chicago's ethnically and financially diverse city, I have been able to gain experiences that will remain in my mind forever." – Hannah Crawford ‘11

"My eyes were opened to the reality that homelessness is not necessarily the result of poor decisions, and the problem will never be resolved until we take the initiative to reach out to our fellow American citizens." – Tyler McCubbins ‘09

Implementation of Community Partnerships: 

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

1. Orienting and managing community partnerships (orientation, site visits, meetings, strategic planning)
2. Partners as co-educators and other unique initiatives (including new academic linkages)
3. Integration of site-based or issue-oriented teams

Implementation of Community Partnerships: A highlight for Lindsey Wilson College and the Bonner Leader Program was being honored with the state of Kentucky’s Best Partner Award from the Kentucky Community Education Association.

“The students from LWC Bonner Program who volunteer in Camp Casey allow us to serve more children.  By providing assistance to teachers in existing activities we can increase the student to teacher ratio and by leading activities on their own; the Bonners enable us to provide more activities at no extra staffing cost, thus also serving more students. Since our program is supported by a 21st CCLC Grant, it is vital that we stretch those monies and at the same time build community relationships and support that will help us to continue providing after school programs to our students once grant funds are depleted.  The LWC Bonner Leadership Program is one of the most valuable community partners we have. The Bonners bring fresh ideas, diverse backgrounds, and an abundance of energy that enliven our program every day.  We cannot thank you enough for all you do to make that possible!!” -Dana Harmon, Director of Camp Casey: 21st Century Program – LWC Bonner Community Partner

Our partners offer on-site training but also encourage leadership from the students. For example, at Camp Casey, if the students want to lead a class, they are encouraged to do so. Paige Walls started a theater group at Camp Casey last year. Project Coordinators are being implemented this year. Holli Clevenger, as mentioned earlier, will be the Project Coordinator for Camp Casey and the Center for Courageous Kids. All other experienced bonners graduated. Therefore, for the fall semester, Holli will be our only program coordinator. Each partner evaluates our students and our students evaluate our partners. Elise and Amy also evaluate the students and the students evaluate themselves. We use the evaluations from the resource guide off of the bonner website.

Before the start of the academic year, we have a community partner dinner. At this dinner, our partners talk about the activities and responsibilities at their sites. The students listen to each partner’s ‘pitch’ then afterwards, the students mingle and select their site for the semester and possibly for the year.

We also encourage our students to research organizations in our community who fall under our six commitments. If they are interested in a site other than our regular community partners, they will present it to us with a contact. We also encourage them to choose a site that correlates with their college major. We will then speak to the on-site supervisor about the Bonner Leader program and expectations of the program.

Campus-wide Culture and Infrastructure: 

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):

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.

Campus-wide Culture and Infrastructure:

Curricular- Dr. Bettie Starr, Dean of Academics, is implementing a peer mentoring program for our bonners and other students on campus. The peer mentors will assist in the freshmen seminar classes and leading a service project for each class. Amy will also be teaching a section of Freshman Seminar where all freshman bonners will be in her class. After the class session, they will meet for their weekly meeting and reflection. A civic engagement certificate is still in discussion as a possibility. Dr. Starr, Dr. Dan Koger, and some other faculty have completed some community based research and been in discussion with the Lake Cumberland Workforce Development on what basic skills are lacking in Adair County and the surrounding communities. As mentioned under the co-curricular section, some of the bonners may choose to lead or assist in this effort under the supervision of our faculty.

Campus Wide- The bonner program has become to be known as the ‘service group’ on campus. We are the first phone call from the community when they are recruiting volunteers. Our dean recognizes our group as the ‘ones who will change the world’. Our bonners recruit ‘non-bonners’ to attend our mini-weekend service trips. After Wayne Meisel’s visit to campus in April 2008, the faculty becameeven more interested in becoming more involved with the bonners whether it may be chaperoning a trip or assisting in the rebuilding of New Orleans. In helps that our academic and student deans and even our President are all service oriented. Our Vice President for Student Services took students to ‘God’s Love We Deliver’ in NYC every fall for an alternative fall break. He also attended SLI this year. The bonners also collaborate with residence life, APO, and Humanity Hands with various events and programming.