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.  Trainings, courses, and meetings:

In all of our various Bonner-specific trainings and meetings, we emphasized "moving ahead"; that is, we stressed how students' current service, experience, and education was related to and helpful for them to move farther in their development as student leaders, community enhancers, and engaged citizens.  An increased emphasis on CLAs was a helpful tool in this effort.  The increased focus on CLAs helped students focus their goals in their service work, as well as reflect on their reasons for serving at specific sites.  Finally, the fact that all of our Bonners participate in varying degrees in the co-curricular Shepherd Poverty Program (the majority will receive a certificate in the program) increases their mature thought on and knowledge of poverty, social justice, and service related issues.

2.  First Year Trip:

Students participating in the First Year Trip wrote thoughtful objectives before and after the trip itself, helping to allow them to reflect on the nature of their service on the trip and the issues and people they encountered on it.  Reflections were based on the idea of "using the service trip experience to take the next step upon returning home."  The goal and, hopefully, fruit of this exercise was to make the First Year Trip experience more than just a one time event, however deep and moving, but rather a large point of development on the longer service and engaged citizenship road.

3.  Second Year Service Exchange:

Through the second year service exchange, our students had the opportunity to compare their Bonner experiences and development efforts with those of students from other schools, and to thus learn about other methods and goals in the development model.  For instance, where our students may have a strong experience of connecting Bonner service work with classroom instruction, other Bonner students have particularly strong experiences of group service.

4.  Third Year (and beyond) Leadership Roles:

We had a few "mini-internship" opportunities for upperclass Bonners last year that gave older students the opportunity take on expanded leadership roles and to use their experience and maturity to benefit other Bonners and the program as a whole.  The most successful of these was an intern who helped exclusively with recruitment and publicity for the Bonner Program.

5.  Senior Capstone and Presentation of Learning:

Our students who participate in the Shepherd Program capstone class to a thesis level capstone paper that examines one particular aspect of poverty about which they are particularly interested.  We need to work toward having a more formal venue for Capstone/Presentation of Learning opportunities for our senior students. 

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)

Closer monitoring of CLAs before students started their service work at partner agencies helped lead to stronger and more fruitful cooperation with the community groups.  Within the increased monitoring of CLAs, there was more communication between the Bonner Coordinator and agency directors, which also led to better understanding of Bonner Leaders' roles at the agencies.  Group service projects also led to stronger relationships between the Bonner Program and partner agencies.  Supervisors who had not had much direct contact with Bonner Leaders were able to not only meet Bonner Leaders, but to see their service work in action. 

2.  Partners as co-educators and other unique initiatives...

Our efforts in Community Based Research, in which Bonner Leaders have played a strong role, has been our primary way of connecting with partner agencies in a unique way and finding stronger ways that we can cooperate with them and meet their needs.  We are planning a gathering called the "Institute" that will begin sometime in the fall semester where community partners will meet together, learn more about CBR, hear from community partners that have previously cooperated with CBR projects, and brainstorm ideas for further projects.  One of our Bonner Leaders is also our CBR intern, and is leading the coordination efforts for the Institute.  Other Bonner Leaders will hopefully be involved in other significant roles.  Conversations have already begun with community partners, particularly with the Exec. Director of the local United Way, who assisting us in coordinating with a wide network of community partners.

3.  Integration of site-based or issue-oriented teams

We are in the very preliminary stages of successfully instigating site-based or issue-oriented teams.  Conversations were initiated last year to begin the implementation of this model.  While some students were open to the idea, others resisted; as new students join the Bonner Leader Program and as we find ways to better incorporate this model into our local programming, we're hopeful that we will be able to more successfully integrate site-based and issue-oriented teams.

Campus-wide Culture and Infrastructure: 

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.

          Our strongest academic connection is with the Shepherd Poverty Program as a whole.  All 19 of our current Bonner Leaders have taken or are registered to take at least the 100 Level Intro to Poverty class.  11 of our students are on track to recieve a Certificate in the Poverty Program, and at least 4 more have expressed interest in doing so.  We believe strongly that this co-curricular, in-depth educational approach has greatly increased our Bonners' knowledge about and commitment to the areas in which they serve.  Classes in a wide variety of other deparments have also had a poverty/civic-engagement component, and communciate with Shepherd Program staff (the Bonner Coordinator included) about integrating in-class education with service work.

     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).

The Bonner Program Coordinator works particularly close with the Service-Learning coordinator and the Director of the Shepherd Poverty Program to identify, recruit, and support students for and in the Bonner Program.  We've also worked closely with members of the Student Life department at Washington and Lee, and one staff member in Leadership Development and Religious Life has helped coordinate trainings for our students.  We've likewise worked with the Financial Aid office to ensure support for our Bonner Leaders, and are working increasingly closely with them as week seek ways to expand and improve our program, and as part of this effort to better support our students.  While our cooperation with the Admissions Office has not been particularly strong in the past, the Bonner Coordinator and Shepherd Dept. Director are meeting with the Admissions director in the coming weeks to bolster this cooperation. 

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

The Bonner Program at W&L has developed the "Bonner Public Forum" in which a particular issue is discussed/presented on, and both the campus community and wider community are invited to participate.  Plans for the CBR "Institute" will also help promote service, civic engagement, and the relationship between academic tools and service work.  Bonner Leaders also, individually, are leaders in other service efforts on campus (e.g. the Campus Kitchen and the Nabors Service League), which help to promote and highlight service and engagment on campus.