Implementation of Student Development: 

Trainings, courses and meetings:

The Bonner Leader/Semester of Service program begins with a week-long orientation during which the students build community, learn the policies and procedures of the program, and explore the City of Dayton (click here for a sample orientation schedule). Orientation is followed by UDI393: Community Service Internship weekly class meetings through out the semester in which Dayton community leaders present on the issues students encounter in their work, like Culture of Urban Poverty, Environmental Justice, Anger Management, etc. (click here for a sample UDI393 class schedule).  In the class, students write journal entries about their service experiences, participate in group reflections, and lead discussion about the class topics.  We also utilize campus wide presentations as forums for learning and catalysts for discussion.

This year, monthly Bonner meetings were held in conjunction with Dayton Civic Scholar's (DCS) meetings and executed using the Bonner Foundation's meeting resource guides.  The meetings were not ideal this year due to competing priorities (DCS group project vs. Bonner Student Development Model modules) and Bonner Leader students have requested that next year their monthly meetings not be combined with DCS meetings.  We will continue to use Student Development model meeting resource guides and enlist more participation from upper class Bonner Leaders in faciliating the meetings.  In order to continue to networking of service centered students, DCS and Bonner Leaders will join together in large group service projects and periodically co-host presentations by outside speakers for monthly meeting requirements.

First Year Trip:

During 2007-2008, we did a much better job of publicizing and enrolling students in first year service trips.  100% (5 out of 5) of the 900 hour/2 year Bonner Leader students participated in service trips during fall break, spring break or May break-out.  One 450 hour Ed Award recipient participated in a first year service trip.  Furthermore, each of the students undertook leadership roles on the trips by being student organizers and leaders.  The locations where students participated in service immersion trips were: Chicago, IL; East St. Louis, MO; Doddridge County, WV; Salyersville, KY and La Julia, CA.  Next year, we look forward to having even more students participate in one of the service immersions, including more 450 hour Ed Award recipients in order to encourage them to sustain their formal commitment to service and thereby draw them into the 2 year Bonner Leader program.

Second Year Exchange:

In spring 2007, UD Bonner Leaders invited students from the Bonner program at Earlham College to assist with the seasonal preparation of a community garden at the longtime UD partner agency Dakota Center. Next time we host a Second Year Exchange, we will make more of a point to take our visitors around UD and offer them hospitality and share a meal. This summer, at the SLI, our Bonner Congress Representative made some great contacts with other "local" schools and he is looking forward to coordinating an Exchange with those programs.  Next year, the event will be student coordinated and led.

Third year (and beyond) leadership roles:

So far, due to the routes through which students have entered the Bonner Leader program (i.e. SoS, DCS, service clubs), they have all been highly skilled and motivated individuals who demonstrate great initiative and accountability.  Naturally, these students have been undertaking project leader or project coordinator positions at the agencies where they work.  In the coming year, the Bonner staff needs to work towards creating better avenues to reel in younger students - preferably Federal Work Study students - who are searching for their niche and who can benefit from the exploratory stages of the Student Development Model.  Bonner staff have already been engaging in conversations with Center for Social Concern (UD department that houses the community service clubs) staff in order to better connect young students to exploratory service opportunities.

Furthermore, we made an intentional move this year towards better integrating the Bonner Senior Intern and Congress Reps into our program planning and execution.  We have enlisted two very enthusiastic students for these rolls and they are looking forward to planning social gatherings and required programs (i.e. Second Year service exchange), assisting with monthly meetings, and recruitment for the program.   

Senior capstone & presentation of learning:

This year, we have pushed Semester of Service to function in one of two roles for the student regarding student development: 1. as a gateway program to bring first and second year students into the Bonner Leader program, and 2. as a capstone project for third and fourth year students.  As a capstone project, students who participate in Semester of Service/Bonner Leader serve as project coordinators at their partner site.  Some examples of the work they do are: arts and crafts coordinator, homework club director, student case manager, math camp coordinator, and field trips coordinator.  

Each April, UD hosts a day of learning on campus called the Stander Symposium.  It is an opportunity for students to present projects and research they have been engaging in.  In the past, Semester of Service and the Bonner Leader program has been featured at this symposium; however, the research projects have always been presented by students outside the Bonner program.  Stander will be an excellent form for Bonner students to present their learning/capstone experience.

Implementation of Community Partnerships: 

 Orienting and managing community partnerships (orientation, site visits, meetings, strategic planning):

Six of the ten community partners with whom we work have an intimate working knowledge of the university and especially the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community due to our long time partnerships with them.  We added four new community partners to the mix this year: Dayton Early College Academy, We Care Arts!, Miami Valley Literacy Council, and Boy and Girls Club of Dayton.  With these community partners we: 1. required an application fostering in depth reflection about the type of position and support offered to the student, 2. discussed the rights and responsibilities of both the partner site and the student, 3. presented the partner agency with Bonner and Semester of Service program information and policy binders (constructed by a former Senior Intern), 4. hosted a luncheon for site partners to learn about the program, meet with their student volunteers, and visit with other site partners, 5. keep in regular email and phone contact to ensure the Bonner/SoS staff is offering the site supervisor desired support, and 6. perform site visits.

At this time, we have not utilized our site partners in a strategic planning initiative solely for the Bonner Leader program.  It is worth noting, however, that: 1. the six long term partners were integral in shaping and forming the Semester of Service program so they had a great deal of input into the shape of that program, 2. the Bonner staff at UD and site partners have a very open relationship and neither hesitates to contact the other for postive  feedback or constructive insights for future program improvement (the lines of communication are very open), and 3. in May 2008, UD began strategic planning for a centralized service learning center at the university and each of the Bonner partners (longtime and new) were at the table for that conversation - and will continue to be a part of that planning in the future.

Partners as co-educators and other unique initiatives (including new academic linkages):

We have always referred to and respected our site partner supervisors and directors as co-educators.  We regularly call on their expertise in educating our students onsite as well as in the classroom.  They are regularly featured in UDI393: Community Service Internship that accompanies SoS, Center for Social Concern Urban Plunges, campus wide panel discussions, and sociology, anthropology and social work classes. In exchange, we offer them University resources and meeting space for their organizations' professional development programs.

As a Bonner staff, we have not pursued academic linkages like community based learning or research.  Many professors on campus and in our department are doing CBL and research in conjunction with their classes.  We simply have not dedicated the time to doing CBL in conjunction with the Bonner Leaders programs.  There are avenues for students to be involved and we can work torwards guiding our Bonner Leaders to those outlets and professors.  Also, frankly, we have been dedicating most of our time to recruiting students to the Bonner Leader program.

Integration of site-based or issue-oriented teams

We have not yet integrated or utilized the site-based or issue-oriented teams.  These seem like interesting strategies to be moving towards as we increase our numbers of Bonner Leaders and have multiple students working at the same agency.  We anticipate drawing on resources from other departments (e.g. Center for Social Concern) to better facilitate site-based and issue-oriented teams. Currently, we certainly do examine and discuss issue themes (e.g. culture of poverty, anger management, education in inner cities) in the course that accompanies Semester of Service.  As we continue to grow the Bonner Leaders program, we will move towards creating teams that investigate these issues and hopefully produce projects/work for the Stander Symposium.

Campus-wide Culture and Infrastructure: 

 Key relationships and activities involving faculty and academic connections.  In particular, what work was done with relevant coursework, a minor, or other curricular integration:

 Service is an integral part of the Catholic and Marianist tradition of education.  Thus, service-learning opportunities have developed organically in Student Services, the Schools of Education, Engineering, Business, and Sciences, the Fitz Center, and the Center for Social Concern; no single department on campus coordinates service-learning activities.  The University plans to create a Center of Service-Learning and it is a high priority on the upcoming capital campaign.

As part of the SOS Program, a weekly three hour session on selected developmental and service-related topics has been accepted by the Continuing Education office for a 3-credit minicourse titled COMMUNITY SERVICE INTERNSHIP UDI 393.  The course includes selected readings, a presentation, discussion on the readings and speaker, and reflections on the weeks service.  Only students in the Bonner Leader Program are eligible to sign up for this course.

Key relationships and activities involving other departments or divisions on campus (for example for recruitment, student wellness or retention, financial aid, and so on)

Many departments and offices are involved in recruitment, e.g. Student employment (for FWS, registration of new student workers), Registration, Payroll, Co-Op office (to enroll students as FT to maintain eligibility for health insurance of parents); chairs of Political Science, Criminal Justice, Sociology/Anthropology/Social Work, Psychology (for allowing us to present SOS/Bonner Leader Program information in classes and allowing Independent Study credit for SOS students).  Residential Services (Provide large houses and reduced rate for summer students).  Center of Social Concern in Campus Ministry (Break Out trips, recruitment), Residence Education (Orientation, in-service training) Continuing Education (3 credit Minicourse-Social Service Internship UDI 393). 

Unique initiatives (such as events or strategic planning) that have enhanced institutionalization of service and civic engagement on campus:

Most notably, UD has commenced a strategic plan for a centralized service learning center.  Faculty, staff, students, and community partners have all joined together in this effort.  This process began in May 2008 and meetings are occuring throughout the summer and fall up to submitting a formal proposal to the President of the university.  Bonner staff are a part of this strategic planning process.