Location: 35 miles southwest of Cleveland
Enrollment: 2,800 students (2,200 College of Arts and Sciences, 400 Conservatory of Music, 200 double degree)
Other interesting tidbits:
1. Founded in 1833, Oberlin was the first institution of higher education in America to adopt a policy to admit students of color (1835) and the first college to award bachelor’s degrees to women (1841) in a coeducational program.
2. Since 1920, more Oberlin graduates have earned PhDs than graduates of any other American baccalaureate college; three have been recipients of a Nobel Prize and six have been awarded MacArthur “genius” Fellowships.
3. Oberlin’s Science Center features a 64-bit supercomputer – the first installed at any four-year, liberal arts college in the nation.
4. Students helped to design the largest photovoltaic array in Ohio and the first entirely solar-powered academic building at any U.S. college or university.
5. The oldest continuously operating Conservatory of Music in the United States.
BONNER PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
Name of Campus-Wide Center: Bonner Center for Service and Learning
Type of Program: Bonner Scholars and Bonner Leaders
Year Began: 1992
Bonner Program website: www.oberlin.edu/bcsl/
Oberlin Bonner Wiki: oberlinserves.pbworks.com
Number of Bonner Scholars:60
Number of Bonner Leaders (includes Bonner Scholars)
KEY CONTACTS
President:Marvin Krislov
Bonner Center for Service & Learning (Bonner CSL) Director:Beth Blissman
Bonner Scholars Program (BSP) Director: Trecia Pottinger
Bonner Scholars Program (BSP) Senior Intern(s): Tessa Cruz, Amy Huang, Emily Wilson
Bonner Congress Representatives: Eni Aligbe, Ashley Augustin, Sarah Cheshire
Additional Bonner CSL Staffmembers:
Education Outreach Programs Director: Bo Arbogast
Bonner Leader Program and Community Based Work Study Program Coordinator: Tania Boster
Civic Engagement Intern: Leanne Soter
Administrative Assistant-Vicki Yacobozzi
MORE ABOUT US (our partners, trips, structure, best or unique practices)
In 2007-08, highlights of Oberlin’s Bonner Scholars Program included further empowerment of students to take leadership within the program and increased preparation for first-year students before they served in the local community. Student-run Bonner committees (on activities, the community fund, and reflection) were one of the highlights of the year. The committees were formed in 2006-07 at the suggestion of congress representatives to build stronger community among the Bonner Scholars as well as provide more opportunities for leadership, and they have developed into a central component of Bonner Scholars programming. The committees offered all Bonner Scholars the opportunity to plan activities and award service-related grant funding to their peers. Three Bonner congress representatives led the committees, which each had 6 or 7 members. The committees planned and facilitated activities and meetings for the group, and committee members developed critical Bonner skills in the areas of event planning, budgeting, decision-making, delegation, and teamwork. The activities committee organized the second off-campus, overnight Bonner retreat in five years. The reflection committee organized three meetings, which emphasized artistic expression exercises and discussions about issues Bonner Scholars encounter in performing their service. The community fund committee granted over $6,000 for local programs, Bonner-initiated projects and training sessions. Development of these committees has heightened the sense of empowerment and community among the Bonner Scholars.
Another strength of Oberlin’s Bonner Scholars Program in 2007-08 was the increased preparation first-year students received before they served in the community. First-year Bonner Scholars were introduced to Oberlin College, the City of Oberlin and Lorain County as well as the BSP during a comprehensive orientation that ran three days. Activities began with icebreakers led by returning Bonner Scholars and a community dinner. The first day students completed community service, heard a panel presentation by returning Bonner Scholars about their experiences, and watched the Bonner Foundation video. In addition, the BSP Director shared information about the Bonner Network, so the first-years know that the Bonner Program is a nationwide pioneer in providing community-service scholarships. The second day, new students participated in a ropes obstacle course, shared their backgrounds at a “story-telling” workshop, and learned basic information about the BSP. The final day, students met with staff from a range of Oberlin offices, including Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Multicultural Resource Center, Student Academic Services, Dean of Students and the Bonner Center for Service and Learning (Bonner CSL). To increase their direct knowledge of Lorain County, first-year Bonner Scholars were trained as site leaders for the annual Day of Service during New Student Orientation. The training consisted of information about Lorain County and the service sites, facilitation tips for icebreakers and reflection, and problem solving. After only one week at Oberlin, first-year Bonner Scholars served in leadership roles and managed groups of their peers at non-profit agencies across Lorain County.
Community Partners
The Oberlin Bonner Scholars work at over 20 sites in and around Oberlin. Check out our community organizations to learn more about how Bonner Scholars are helping in the Oberlin community:
America Counts -http://www.oberlincommunityservices.org/tutoring.html
America Reads - http://www.oberlin.edu/bcsl/amreads/Overview.html
The Boys and Girls Club of Lorain County –Oberlin Unit - http://www.loraincounty.com/bgc/
The Bridge - http://www.oberlin.net/~thebridge/
Family Planning Services - http://www.familyplanningservices.org
Firelands Association of the Visual Arts (FAVA) - http://www.favagallery.org/
Girls in Motion
Kendal At Oberlin - http://kao.kendal.org/
Lorain County Joint Vocational School - http://www.lcjvs.com
Lorain County Rape Crisis
The MAD* Factory -http://www.madfactory.org/
Main Street Oberlin, Inc. - http://www.oberlin.org/
New Agrarian Center - http://www.gotthenac.org
Ninde Scholars Program - http://www.oberlin.edu/ninde
Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra (NOYO) - http://www.noyo.org/
Oberlin Choristers - http://www.ochoristers.org/
Oberlin City Schools- http://www.oberlin.k12.oh.us/
Oberlin Community Services (OCS) - http://www.oberlincommunityservices.org
Oberlin Early Childhood Center (OECC) - http://www.oberlinearlychildhood.org/
Oberlin Heritage Center -http://www.oberlinheritage.org/
Peace Community Church - http://peacecommunity.mychurch.com/
Save Our Children - http://www.saveourchildrenelyria.org
Spanish in the Elementary Schools-http://www.oberlin.edu/SITES/homepage.htm
Western Reserve Land Conservancy - http://www.firelandslc.org/
Zion Community Development Corporation
2011-2012 ANNUAL REPORT OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
2010-2011 ANNUAL REPORT OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
2009-2010 Annual Report of Program Activities
2008-2009 ANNUAL REPORT OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
Archive
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