2009 ANNUAL REPORT OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
Please add narrative text that responds to the questions in the four categories below.
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):
Narrative:
A) I
1st Year Development Series
Beginning with the Fall 2008 semester, the Bonner Scholars Program 1st year development series was facilitated by Bonner Sophomore & Senior Interns Gimel Rogers, Kristen Haley and Kimberly Leon Gray. Under the direction of Sheryl Belizaire, Bonner Scholars Program Coordinator, the freshman class participated in weekly training enrichment activities. Developmental classes included skills in interviewing, career exploration, time management, servant leadership, personal branding, conflict resolution, and non-profit service opportunities. These developmental enrichment activities served to provide a foundation for the Bonner student development model to prepare them for each level in their growth as they progress through the five (5) Bonner E's.
Examples of second year service student programming included introductions to issue-based teams. The issue based team projects were designed around the Spelman College Community Development and Engagement focus areas of Education, Economic Development, Health and Wellness and Environmental Sustainability as taken from the college's strategic plan.
2nd Year Development Series
The Bonner Scholars class of 2011 met monthly where they discussed various topics on their development and service accomplishments over the last year. Topics of discussion focused on the creation of a mission and vision statement, personal development, social development, academic development and civic responsibility. These meetings also addressed action steps needed to enhance and improve the sophomore development series program as well as the creation of projects and initiatives that would support the needs of our communities. Examples of second year service student programming included introductions to issue-based teams. The issue based team projects were designed around the Spelman College Community Development and Engagement focus areas of Education, Economic Development, Health and Wellness and Environmental Sustainability as taken from the college's strategic plan.
The Upper Hand Program (Junior and Senior class)
The Bonner Scholars Program partnered with the Spelman College Office of Career Planning and Development, Spelman Women Empowered Through Professional Training (SWEPT) program where the junior and senior Bonner Scholars participated in an eight-week training program that is designed to fill the gap between classroom training and the professional skills that business and professional communities expect in the workplace. This was a pilot collaboration effort that proved very successful and will become integrated into the Bonner Scholars Program training and enrichment component as part of the Bonner Student Development Model.
A) II
First Year Service Trip
The 1st Year Service Trip for the class of 2010 took place December 8-12, 2007 in Birmingham, Alabama. The mission of this service trip was to increase the students’ awareness of the history of the Civil Rights Movement in which a portion of this movement took place in the city of Birmingham, Alabama where four little girls were killed in a bombing at the historic 16th Street Baptist church. We toured the city of Birmingham and visited the Civil Rights Institute, the Jazz Hall Museum, the Kelly Ingram Park and the 16th Street Baptist Church. We also participated in the 16th Street Baptist Church service and one of the Bonner Scholars, Briana Haymon, led in a song.
The Bonner Scholars freshmen class of 2012 partnered with Urban Ministries United Methodist Church and the Joe Rush Urban Center located in Birmingham Alabama. The Joe Rush Center for Urban Mission seeks to strengthen and support the faith of youth and adults through Bible study, prayer, worship, and hands-on service. They build Christian unity through active participation in a culturally diverse urban setting.
Second Year Exchange
The Sophomore Exchange Trip for the Bonner Scholars class of 2011 took place on November 1, 2008, where the sophomore Bonner Scholars collaborated with Berry College in Rome, Georgia and Oxford College and Morehouse College of Atlanta with the YMCA of metro Atlanta to winterize the YMCA Center. The winterization project served to prepare the YMCA Center for summer youth activities. Team building and a low ropes course was also done during the second year exchange.
Third Year (and beyond) Leadership Roles
The developmental nature of student leadership roles consists of Bonner Scholars working as project coordinators at their service sites, student coordinators, Intern, bonner congress representatives and class representatives. The Senior Intern role works closely with the Bonner Scholars Program Coordinator in creating and implementing service initiatives, developing curricular for Bonner Scholars training and enrichment, identifying a diverse group of community service providers, and collaborating with student-led organizations, faculty and other departments to enhance the culture of service on campus. A creation of a Senior intern position was developed to work with and live in the SERVE Living and Learning Community with the 1st year Bonner students. The Senior Intern is responsible for planning and coordinating programming for the freshmen Bonner Scholars. Junior and Senior Bonner Scholars who serve as Bonner Congress and Class Representatives are instrumental in creating and leading project initiatives as well as being the liaison between the Bonner Scholars Program Coordinator and Bonner Scholars network.
Senior Capstone & Presentation of Learning
The Bonner Scholars graduating class of 2009 shared their Senior Capstone of Learning Experience at an All Bonner Scholars general meeting in April 27, 2009. The theme of their capstone of learning presentation was Bonner Rugrats All Grown Up: Walking in the Footprints of Leadership, Sisterhood and Service. This capstone of learning was illustrated in a form of storytelling and a skit where the seniors demonstrated their journey as Bonner Scholars and imparted their learned lessons to the group. Seniors noted that Bonner was life changing, rewarding and transformed their lives. They also expressed to their fellow Bonner Scholars how giving back and working in their communities helped to provide a sense of direction for their future endeavors. Many of the seniors experienced an interest in pursuing a career in the non-profit sector and advanced degrees in non-profit management. In addition, a couple of the Senior Bonner Scholars have already begun the process of creating their own non-profit organizations. The senior class also addressed their different levels of achievement by highlighting their leadership roles within the community agencies in which they served. Many seniors served in site coordinator positions. They also served as facilitators, team leaders, and lead mentors.
A)III
Roles of Student Leaders in Integration of the 2.0 Serve Initiative
Gaybrielle Gant, a rising senior in the Bonner Scholars program, served as our Community Outreach Intern and led our Serve 2.0 initiative. She captured all Bonner trips meeting and service projects as part of the Serve 2.0 initiative.
Please share a summary of your work with community partners, highlighting your work (no more than one page text needed)
I.
Arrangement and Management of Community Partnerships and Placements:
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development has changed the focus of our management and arrangement of community service partners. As part of the Spelman College Strategic Plan, our community engagement and development goal is to create and implement a community development and engagement program model for students, faculty, staff and neighborhood residents through collaborative partnerships. Our strategic planning areas and our community partners will be engaged in the areas of: Education, Health, Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability. Our new geographic service area focuses on a 1.7 mile radius surrounding Spelman College.
Community partner training and orientation takes place four times during the school year and site visits are conducted on a monthly basis to keep partners abreast of new focus areas/policies and to orientate and train new staff and/or volunteers. Both Bonner Scholars and Spelman students are being strategically placed to form both reciprocal and meaningful community engagement activities.
To highlight a few activities:
· West End Beltline Project Fall Semester 2008
· MLK Day Service Plunge Spring 2009
· Neighborhood Planning Unit – T Zone Executive Committee Leadership Retreat Spring 2009
· BET Spring Service Diaries
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development will be the agent for the community transformation as it strives to impact policies and systems for social change.
B) II. How Partners were Engaged as Co-Educators including Academic Linkages and Student Advisement:
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development partnered with the White House Project as part of Georgia’s Women Leaders Program. The White House Project seeks motivated students, and other women with a desire to educate and increase the number of women involved in politics.
Two Bonner Scholars were selected to participate in the Women Helping Women Win Capital Project. They worked with Georgia State Representative Sheila Jones and Dee Dawkins-Haigler in developing bills, conducting policy research, and fostering collaborations with constituents and coalitions.
B) III. Partnerships Managed Through Site-based or Issue-oriented Teams as well as other Issue-based Organizing Undertaken
Partnerships Managed Through Site-based or Issue-oriented Teams as well as other Issue-based Organizing Undertaken
As part of our site based initiative and based upon our community engagement and development goal, a partnership with Neighborhood Planning Unit – T zone (NPU-T) was formed. The NPU-T is a citizenry advisory council servicing Southwest Atlanta and makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on zoning, land use and other planning issues. Four Bonner Scholars were assigned to work with the NPUT and served as Public Relations Agents.
As a part of our issue based initiative, the Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development worked with Spelman College Faculty Member Dr. Dorian Crosby to promote a service learning special topics course entitled: PSC 420 – Refugee Issues. The course examined refugee women, international issues and events that impact how this group adjusts to life in the US after leaving refugee camps. The course also offered the opportunity for our students to interact with refugees and hear their stories, while assisting them in their efforts to adjust to the United States, Georgia and the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Bonner Office also assisted in the support of a campus wide program "A Discussion on the Voices of Darfur."
B) IV. Capacity Building Initiatives for Community Partners (Such as Workshops Policy Research or Resource Development)
Examples of capacity building activities include the following activities:
The 2009 5th Annual Women of Color Conference entitled: Building a Community for Change
50 local community partners were invited to and attended the 5th Annual Women of Color Conference sponsored by the LEADS Center of Distinction. The theme Building a Community of Change was organized to explore how gender and culture influence service leadership. The conference was filled with workshops and sessions that demonstrated best practices for building strong communities through civic engagement. The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development participated and also led one session with the Neighborhood Planning Unit entitled "Community Organizing 101." Bonner Scholars, members of the Bonner Advisory Board, the entire Bonner Staff and partners supported this capacity building event.
The 2009 Community Based Research (CBR) Conference, sponsored by Bonner Foundation and Princeton University was attended by Spelman College faculty Dr. Sandra Patterson, who is also a member of the Bonner Advisory Committee. LEADS Executive Director, Dr. Jane Smith and Bonner Director, Dr. Jennifer China also attended. Ideas and concepts gleaned from the conference were taken back and shared with community partners, faculty and staff. The storyboard concept of community resource development showcased at CBR by the University of Utah was utilized at the Women of Color Conference depicting a Spelman College Community Storyboard mapping our partners and newly defined service area.
A video portraying students, staff, faculty and community partners was developed as a capacity building resource project and will be used in future workshops, and community sessions to promote our community engagement and development goal.
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):
Add narrative here:
Under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Jane Smith, The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development has formed a strong alliance with the installation of the Bonner Advisory Committee. During 2008-2009, the Bonner Advisory Committee was comprised of faculty members and one community representative from the office of the president. Members include: Dr. Cynthia Spence, Dr. Daryl White, Dr. Barbara Carter, Dr. Sandra Patterson, Dr. Evelyn Chisolm (retired 2009), Harriette Watkins, & Dr. Barbara Nesin. The members of the Bonner Advisory Committee serve to promote academic connections, provide faculty resources and serve as liasion to other faculty on campus and to assist and promote service learning projects and programs.
The LEADS Division played an instrumental role in providing several training and enrichment opportunities for Bonner Scholars. LEADS activities that Bonner Scholars participated in include: The Johnetta B. Cole Institute for Community Service and Community Building, Debating for Democracy (D4D) Workshop, and the Operation Hope Financial Literacy Workshop.
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development also works closely with the Department of Undergraduate Studies to provide service opportunities for Spelman students as part of the service requirement for first and second year students.
The Spelman College Housing and Residential Life also collaborates with the Bonner Program by establishing a Living and Learning Community where the 1st year Bonner Scholars live together; the purpose of this living and learning community is to support the student’s transition into the Bonner Scholar Community and the College, enhance peer interactions surrounding a central theme of service, connect faculty to Bonner Scholars and program activities, create and support a cohort/pool of students who can respond and react to community challenges based on shared experiences, and to provide a network of support for 1st Year Bonner Scholars.
The Office of Student Financial Aid works closely with The Bonner Scholars program to ensure financial eligibility that is in accordance with the Bonner Scholars Program.
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development also works closely with the Student Affairs Division. We consult on student travel, student conduct and all issues relating to student intra-curricular activities.
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development works with the International Student Affairs Office in planning service activities and with international Bonner Scholars student requirements.
All initiatives and service oriented events are based upon the new Spelman College Strategic plan under community engagement and development. Our focus areas, our partners and all programming is approached with this basic framework.
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development has united with the House of Representatives of the Spelman College Student Government Association to restructure the formally named Student Service Coalition. This united effort will bring together all the service organizations at Spelman College to make a large, more notable impact in the community by creating service projects and initiatives that would expand throughout the Atlanta University Center.
The Super Service Series Initiative is a project created by the Bonner Program to provide campus-wide service opportunities that enables students, faculty and staff to participate in civic engagement projects throughout the metropolitan area of Atlanta on weekends.
During Spelman College Spring Break 2009, the Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development Alternative Spring Break Program collaborated with Community Collaborations International of Galveston, Texas and participated in a hurricane clean-up and revitalization project.
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development advises the Spelman College Gamma Sigma Sigma National Community Service Sorority which provides students who are interested in lifelong commitments to service and civic engagement the opportunity to connect on a national level that share the same interest.
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development supports the Shepherd Poverty Alliance program which integrates academic study and learning through service to help students gain an understanding of poverty through working in communities with organizations that combat it on a daily basis.
The Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development facilitates the Civic Engagement Fellows Program where selected Spelman College students convened weekly to focus on encouraging civic engagement projects in their communities and on how to jumpstart a civically engaged campus; topics of discussion included an overview Georgia non-profit organizations, board member development, proposal writing, prospect research, and career options in non-profit. Feature focus for this program includes a special session for Bonner Scholars.
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):
Gaybrielle Gant a rising senior in the Bonner Scholars program served as our Community Outreach Intern and led our Serve 2.0 initiative. She captured all Bonner service trips, meetings and service projects as part of the Serve 2.0 initiative.
Our link to the Spelman College Bonner Program wiki is: http://spelmanserves.pbworks.com/frontpage
Currently, the wiki site is primarily used by our Bonner Scholar Community Outreach Intern. The service trips and events are recorded using the flip cam provided by the Bonner Foundation. The pictures and mini-movies are then downloaded onto our Spelman wiki and Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development web site. The Bonner Scholars Coordinator, Sheryl Belizaire, the Community Service Coordinator, Staci Bruce and Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development Director, Jennifer China all have access and enter pictures and news items. This technology and training were introduced to our staff within the reporting year and we hope to learn and develop more in this area.
The Bonner Network Forum is being used to communicate with the Bonner network for best practices, questions, suggestions, and comments relating to the Bonner Programs.
YouTube and the Bonner Video Project are used as social medias tools for presenting video diaries of service trips, service projects, meetings and any other special
events and programs.
The PolicyOptions Wiki was used to development our campus issue profiles and for other resources and best practices relating to policy briefs and policy issues that can be
used for discussion purposes during Bonner general meetings and training and enrichment activities.
Campus Issue Profiles
Add links to your completed or draft campus issue profiles here: