2009 ANNUAL REPORT OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

Please add narrative text that responds to the questions in the four categories below.

Implementation of Student Development

What was the structure and content for the implementation of the developmental model this year?  In particular, please share (no more than one page text needed):

•   The 1st years met weekly, the 2nd and 3rd years met bi-weekly, and the 4th years met once a month. At least one meeting a month was devoted to training and enrichment for each class or if we had a module that worked for all levels we would use it for an all group meeting.  Other meeting times were used for planning projects and preparing for upcoming events. Prior to beginning the spring semester, we held an all member retreat.  We spent time doing team building activities, leadership development, and setting goals for the spring semester.
• 1st year trip
  • For the first year trip, our group of 15 along with our Director Cecilia McCormick and President Harris traveled to the Ocean City, New Jersey.  They spent time reflecting on the past year as a group as well as individually.  For service experience, the group helped clean a section of the beach
• 2nd year trip
  • We tried to schedule a Second Year exchange but had several time conflicts with schools we were interested in working with. We have tentatively scheduled a date for Fall 2009 for an exchange with the Bonners at TCNJ.
• 3rd year leadership
  • Many of our 3^rd year students took on leadership roles within our program and at community sites.  Lisa Wasley served as our senior intern and was fundamental in organizing events, finding service opportunities, and planning meetings.  Joe Keifer worked with the March of Dimes and acted as a liason between our students and the March of Dimes to plan and execute a large event.  Tep Ros mobilized her class and worked to develop a plan with community partners that would improve a park in the community.  2^nd year students, Mary Krueger and Brian Burgio, spearheaded a reuse and redistribution program on campus that not only benefited the Chester community but also lessened our campus’ impact on the environment. 
• Senior Capstone  & Presentation of Learning
  • Although many of our 4^th year students held leadership roles and enriched programs such as Habitat for Humanity and Widener Big Friends, due to their late introduction to the Bonner Program they were resistent to some of activities within developmental model. Unfortunately these students did not complete the Senior Capstone & Presentation of Learning. the However, with our rising 4^th year class we hope to successfully integrate this piece next year by using the book “This I Believe” as a way to reflect on what they have learned over their lifetime and especially the last 4 years as PSC/Bonners.
• Roles of Student Leaders in integration of the Serve 2.0 initiative (e.g., developing and using web-based tools for service)
  •   We had a few students who were instrumental in the integration of the Serve 2.0 initiative. Alison Whartenby worked on the Bonner Video project detailing a service trip to Jamaica in which 12 of our students built two houses and visited an orphanage in a rural part of the country.  Lisa Wasley maintained the wiki as well as photo galleries online throughout the year. 

Implementation of Community Partnerships

Please share a summary of your work with community partners, highlighting your work regarding  (no more than one page text needed):

1.   Prior to the academic year beginning, Professor McCormick and Margaret Flaget-Greener set up meetings with various community partners such as CityTeam, YWCA, Widener Partnership Charter School and the Bernardine Center.  At these meetings, partners were further educated on our program, the Bonner developmental model, and our students.  These meetings also served as an opportunity to plan for events and discuss potential student leaders for each site.  Meetings with partners were also scheduled over the winter break and throughout the spring semester to aid in maintaining our partnerships and keep channels of communication open.
2. This year we worked on a joint project with the Bernardine Center and the Community Arts Center, creating a mural and a community garden to beautify Chester.  Paul Downie, a mural artist at the Community Arts Center, came to meetings and educated our students on arts and how they can benefit and impact the community.
3.  Presently, our class based projects are serving as issue oriented teams.  For example, the class of 2012 partnered with the Bernardine Center, a partner that provides food, support, and education to community members.  These students helped the Bernardine Center over the course of the year with making repairs to the center, helping with organizing the food pantry and food drives, adopting a family during the holidays, and aiding in the partnership with the Community Arts Center and an upcoming mural project along with a community garden. 
4. Currently on our campus, over 70 service learning courses are offered that include understanding and/or initiating policy research and resource development.  However, many of our students are involved in these service learning courses and have worked along with professors and students completing community based research.  A major goal for the future is to continue to join our faculty with our community partners in a way that will help to build those partner’s capacity. 

Campus-Wide Culture and Infrastructure 

Please describe key activities and structures related to 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.  In particular, share  (no more than one page text needed):

• Key activities for faculty engagement and academic connections.  In particular, note any connections to curricular offerings that are linked to the Bonner Program.
  •  We do not have any specific curricular offerings linked to the Bonner Program but have a wide variety of service learning courses offered at Widener University (see below).
• Key relationships and activities involving other departments or divisions on campus (for example for recruitment, student wellness or retention, financial aid, and so on).
  • We have a strong relationship with the Admissions office.  They help us recruit the best candidates for the Bonner Leaders program. We also have a relationship with the student affairs division. The Student Government Association and the PSC/Bonners worked together to run a regional student leadership conference at Widener. We are continually working to get more departments involved with our program and hope to develop more relationships in the upcoming year.
• Unique initiatives (such as events, assessment, or strategic planning) that have enhanced institutionalization of service and civic engagement on campus.
  • 1)      Over 70 different academic service-learning courses have been taught.
  • 2)      Over 1,000 students have enrolled in at least one service learning courses
  • 3)      52 faculty members have participated in the Academic Service Learning Faculty Development Program.
  • 4)      PSOM (Profound Service Once a Month)
  • 5)      Regional Student Leadership Conference which included students from Widener and students from 5 other universities. 
  • 6)      President Obama came and spoke on our campus just a week before he was elected and inspired the university and community to be civically engaged. 

Serve 2.0 

Please highlight your key activities related to the integration of web-based tools as they are connected to the design, management, and outreach for service.  In particular, share  (no more than one page text needed):

• Link to your campus-wide service center or Bonner Program wiki ,web-site, or Ning site. Please explain how it’s most used and by whom.
  • http://www.widenerpsc.pbworks.com
  • This is used by our students and staff primarily to plan projects
  • We also rely on our campus intranet to email, use calendars, and message boards
• Your integration with other social media tools (such as the Bonner Network Forum/Ning, Twitter, YouTube, the Bonner Video Project, PolicyOptions Wiki, or others)
  • Alison Whartenby created a video for the Bonner Video Project detailing the international service trip to Jamaica.

Campus Issue Profiles

Add links to your completed or draft campus issue profiles here:

•   Environment - Widener University
• Education > Elementary - Widener University