Your Bonner Program | Involving Non-Bonners in the Program | Bonner Program Committees/Teams | Other Campus Departments & Staff
For the Bonner Program to have be effective, all members of the college community must embrace it. Because of its comprehensive, four-year structure, the Bonner Program staff and all those who are part of the college community — administrators, faculty, students — have a role to play as part of the Bonner team. The BP staff is responsible for coordinating the operation of all aspects of the program, including recruitment, selection, orientation, training, placement, reflection, enrichment, and evaluation (see the sections that follow for detailed descriptions on each of these processes).
In addition, the BP staff utilize and coordinate the other institutional resources available to support students and the program, including the admissions offices, financial aid, student life, religious life, internships and career development, fundraising, public relations, alumni affairs, athletics, study skills, health, and counseling.
The following are suggested roles and responsibilities for developing a dynamic team and a strong program.
Your Bonner Program
1. Campus Service Program Staff
Office/Center Director:
The Center Director oversees all the operations of the community service center, and often plays a central role in promoting academic-based service-learning on campus. The Foundation prefers that this individual also serve as Director of the Bonner Program.
Bonner Scholars Program Coordinator:
Coordinators of the Bonner Program have the main responsibility for implementing and maintaining the program, particularly in regard to the Bonners’ service experience and character development over four years.
Other Office/Center Staff:
Administrative support staff, including student work-study positions
2. Student Leadership Positions
Project Coordinator:
A project coordinator coordinates and leads issue-oriented service projects. This person is responsible for helping recruit and train occasional and regular volunteers. Furthermore, the project coordinator manages occasional and regular volunteer service projects/placements.
Bonner Senior Intern:
Consider identifying two upper-class students to assist in staffing the Bonner Program. These students could be in charge of the day-to-day operation of the Program and work closely with the Coordinator. Having one of these students work during the summer in preparation for new Bonners’ orientation and the opening of school could be of immeasurable benefit.
Service Team Leader:
A service team leader serves on a team with a focus on a particular issue area. The service team includes campus staff and faculty, community leaders, and students from each class; student roles & responsibilities match the level of experience and expertise.
Work-Study Students:
Because the administrative funds from the Foundation are not sufficient to cover the full administrative costs of a Bonner Scholars Program, colleges are encouraged to recruit and utilize work-study students (they need not be Bonner Scholars) to assist in the administration of the Program.
Involving Non-Bonners in the Program
Involving upperclass, non-Bonner students with the Bonner Program can be an effective way of insuring that the Program becomes an integral part of the college community and not a marginal or elitist group. Upperclass students will help shape the direction of the program, create a positive perception of Bonners on the campus, and will help integrate the Program into the more comprehensive college service activities.
Upperclass students can also serve as mentors to Bonners — advising them in areas such as time management, studying, coping with the social pressures of college, and dealing with problems unique to the college (e. g., the experience of being a minority student at a school with low minority enrollment, being a low-income student in the midst of a affluent student body).
Upperclass student service leaders should assist in preparing Bonners to become community service leaders. From them, Bonners can learn the history of service program successes and failures at the school, how to encourage other students to become involved in service, and the day-to-day tasks involved in running a service program.
Student representatives of all groups on campus should be made aware of and involved in the intent and activities of the Bonner Program. The community programs where Bonners serve should encourage the participation of student volunteers who are not Bonners. This will insure that the Bonners will not be isolated from other students. Bonners should be understood as one element in a broadly-based community service emphasis, which includes the service efforts of many students. Informing student leaders about the Bonner Program will help eliminate any suspicion, jealousy or tension regarding the Bonners that might possibly develop.
If the Bonner Program is to succeed, it is necessary from the outset to include a broad range of students in the Bonner Program mission to strengthen the larger campus community service program.
Upperclass students should be advocates for the Bonners in administrative decisions regarding the Program. Besides serving on the Bonner Scholars /Leaders Selection Committee, non-Bonner students can become involved in the Program through serving as support staff (work-study or volunteer) in the Bonner Program office and through assisting in planning and running the Bonner Program orientation. This could be a work-study job given to a student who would likely have been a Bonner Scholar if he/she had had the opportunity. Presence of older students at Bonner Program meetings is also a good idea, provided the Bonners do not feel inhibited in expressing themselves among upperclass students. Perhaps some Bonner Program meetings should be planned as open meetings because they feature speakers and discussions of general student interest; other meetings of the Bonner Scholars/Leaders could be closed because of their house-keeping or group-building intent.
Bonner Program Committees/Teams
Bonner Advisory Committee:
As stated in the Bonner Program Rules, a BP Advisory Committee must be established with representatives from the following groups: students, campus administrators, faculty, and community partners. Campuses are allowed to have this group assume responsibilty for the selection process for new Bonner Scholars/Leaders.
Selection Committee:
A Selection Committee for Bonner Scholars/Leaders is required. This Committee should consist of at least one person from the following categories: coordinator, admissions office, financial aid office, Bonner Scholars/Leaders, faculty, and community leader.
Other Campus Departments & Staff
College/University President:
The President can highlight and encourage participation in campus service initiatives. The President can also draw attention to these activities during college orientation, host receptions for those involved in service, and encourage faculty to become involved in various aspects of the campus service program, either in curricular or co-curricular training activities or by acknowledments that reward faculty.
Dean of Academic Affairs:
The Dean of Academic Affairs can play a key role in encouraging innovation in the academic curriculum, be it individual classes or the creation of a minor or major, to incorporate experiential community-based learning and more effectively relate to skills and knowledge needed by students engaged in community problem-solving, include sociological analysis, public policy, and organizational communication.
Dean of Student Affairs:
The Dean of Student Affairs can assist the Bonner Program, access campus programs and activities such as residential life, student activities, the campus newspaper, radio station, yearbook, occasional newsletters, the student government. Through these and other channels, Bonner Scholars/Leaders can find avenues for encouraging service throughout the campus.
Chaplain:
Aside from being the place where many campuses house their community outreach efforts, the Chaplain's office usually has resources that can be invaluable to students engaged in service. Many chaplains offices have information on local, area, state, regional, national and global human needs and opportunities to serve them. For those students who do come from particular faith traditions, the chaplain can help them understand how the values of faith are translated into action, giving the students a larger perspective on why they are engaged in service and a perspective which will help sustain them as they serve. The chaplain can also provide links to faith-based organizations, such as a congregation in a high-risk neighborhood which provides youth with a safe environment in an after school program or a church-run food bank.
Director of Admissions:
The Admissions Director will play a significant role in recruiting potential Bonner Scholars/Leaders and in alerting the Bonner Director or Coordinator of those who have already applied to the college and may be eligible for the program. By working closely with the Director of Admissions you will be able to more effectively promote the Bonner Program and recruit the best candidates to apply.
Director of Financial Aid:
The Director of Financial Aid will also be a key player in determining which students would be eligible for the Bonner Scholarship. Not only can they help identify incoming students who have a high level of financial need, but also assist you in identifying candidates if a space opens in the middle of the year. This person can also insure that the scholarship funds from the Bonner Scholarship are properly credited to the accounts of the Bonner Scholars on campus.
Director of Development:
A campus development officer can assist the local Bonner Program to articulate the need for additional funds, develop funding resources, prepare and write proposals, and “sell” the vision to interested contributors. This person often can also be the bridge to Bonner Program’s access to alumni active in community service who may be aware of financial and other resources, including summer service opportunities.
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