Annual Report – Programmatic Section

Whitworth University has 19 Bonner students who provided 2216 hours of service to the Spokane community during academic year 2007-2008. 

Of special note, the Whitworth Bonner Leader program received a $15,000 grant from Campus Compact to implement a student-led Philanthropy Program.  The goal of the project entitled Engaging Community; Inspiring Philanthropy was to develop the capacity and desire to carry on a philanthropic tradition.    In order to develop and implement the university’s student-run philanthropy, Bonner Leaders participated in a course entitled Introduction to Community Engagement during January 2008, which focused on Philanthropy.   The course was linked with a Communications Studies course entitled Organizational Communication. 

The Bonner Leaders, through the activities in their Jan term course, established a philanthropic foundation based on their needs assessment in the West Central neighborhood, one of the poorest in the state of Washington.  They determined critical issues of the neighborhood as well as assets that foster neighborhood empowerment and leadership.  The assessment helped the students determine the focus of their philanthropy.  They developed funding criteria and an RFP process.  RFPs were sent to community organizations identified as non-profits operating in the area of need selected by the students as the focus of the foundation.  The students funded to anti-gang initiatives focused on providing activities for youth, childcare and youth employment.

Bonner students also led a community development effort with one of Spokane’s lowest income neighborhoods.  The West Central Neighborhood Partnership is a collaborative neighborhood revitalization project between Whitworth University and the West Central Neighborhood Council.  This community engagement initiative connects students, faculty and course work to address critical need areas identified by the West Central neighborhood organizations and residents.  Students engage in activities to address Workforce development and job training, Job creation and retention through business development, and Neighborhood revitalization through the development and adoption of a neighborhood plan to address poverty, housing, community services and facilities within the West Central Neighborhood.  Bonner student projects consist of Asset mapping of human/social service agencies within the neighborhood, conducting interviews of agency representatives to determine services offered within the neighborhood, housing Condition Analysis, sidewalk Inventory, assistance with the neighborhood planning process.

Implementation of Student Development:  

Implementation of Community Partnerships: 

Whitworth hosts a community partner orientation annually.  Regular site visits are made and we also participate in an intercollegiate community partner recognition event.  A site-based model has been implemented with Youth for Christ.  This organization serves at-risk youth by providing caring adults, tutoring/mentoring and a safe place to hang out.  We have four Bonner Leaders working with Youth for Christ.  Youth for Christ utilizes Bonner Leaders to coordinate and recruit volunteers and to lead youth groups.  Youth for Christ is located in the West Central neighborhood, and the Bonner Leader students live within the West Central neighborhood, in a home provided by Youth for Christ.

Campus-wide Culture and Infrastructure: 

Whitworth University offers two engagement minors:  Minor in Community Arts and a minor in Community Engagement and Transformation.  Each minor has a requirement of 18 credits.  Four courses are also offered for Whitworth students through the Bonner Leadership program:  Introduction to Community Engagement, Theories and Application of Community Development, Personal Intercultural Development and Discerning Vocation.  This past year, the Bonner students added another course, Introduction to Philanthropy.  The Philanthropy course has been embedded in the Communications department and will be taught every spring semester. 

Bonner students have partnered with the Admissions department and Career Services for Bonner Leader recruitment.    The Admissions department is passing out flyers about the Bonner Program during regional recruitment trips, and they are forwarding the names of  new Whitworth students who demonstrate academic success and an orientation towards service to the Bonner Leader program.  We in turn will forward letters to these students inviting them to learn more about the Bonner Leader program.

Bonner students are recognized annually during the campus convocation.  Returning and new students’ names are printed in the program and announced by the Vice President of Student Life. 

Bonner Leader Students traveled to New Orleans for the Service Trip.  First year students were enrolled in the Intro to Community Engagement course.  Third year students took on leadership roles in community development and philanthropy.  Students spoke to leadership groups and mobilized non-Bonner students to engage in service.