FALL 2010

Chaz Barracks - TEAM JADE - chaz.barracks@richmond.edu

     I am a rising Senior Congress Representative from University of Richmond. I am a native of Glastonbury, Connecticut and I have a lot of favorite things in my life. I am a previous Bonner Congress Rep. from West Virginia Wesleyan College and have recently started fresh at Richmond with a total new Congress agenda.  As a Scholar I have taught elementary diversity education, created a mentorship program for at risk youth, traveled around the globe, and headed up a student coordinator position for our downtown Richmond center!      

     One of the most important things off my favorites list, is being a Bonner. Since I have joined the Bonner Network, I have gained a sense of identify, belonging, and social awareness that I never had before. My potential as a scholar increases in every project that brings me closer to the national network. My service work defines who I am as a person and the people I care about and have  learned from the most. I am very enthusiastic about the Bonner Love and taking advantage of it's many roads-because it has given me enough experience and compassion that there is no project not worth trying.

Mauro Cantatore - TEAM PLUM - mcantatore101@gmail.com

     My name is Mauro Cantatore and I attend Middlesex County College In New Jersey! I am in my second year at Middlesex and I am majoring in Education and Spanish because I want to become a Spanish teacher until I can become a principal one day. I am also a site leader for Middlsex at Acelero Learning which is a preschool program for low income families in New Brunswick. I also mentor at New Brunswick Center for New Brunswick high school ESL students. Ever since joining Bonner it has changed my life, along with the friends I have made and without it I do not know where I would be. Being a Bonner Congress Representative has definitely opened my eyes when seeing what other schools are doing and it is definably moving. I'm usually helping fix things all the time and I am known as the handyman/cook at MCC. Im very easy to approach and always willing to give a hand to whoever because I believe in Karma. I hope one day I can leave my mark in this world.

Juliet Carrington - TEAM AQUA - carringtonjc@guilford.edu

     Hey everyone, I'm Juliet Carrington and I am a Bonner Congress Representative at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I am currently a senior, double major in Community Justice Studies and Sociology with a minor in Education.  I am the volunteer and site coordinator of the Glenhaven Multicultural After School Tutorial, which is an after school home work haven program for refugee children.  I have been serving at this site for the past two years, helping coordinate a slam poetry camp for the kids this summer.  These kids mean the world to me- they are my babies!  I am currently the Serve 2.0 student leader and working to create a documentary to educate the community about the issues that these kids are up against, as well as how amazing they are.  The title and theme of the documentary is, "I'm Not Average- I'm Amazing!". 

     I am very passionate about issues related to education and education reform, as well as immigrant and refugee issues; Greensboro has one of the biggest resettlement populations in the nation with over 80,000 of its population being immigrants and refugees.  There are many different policies that are being enacted that are deeply impacting the Latino community, known as 287 (g) which gives local police the authority to act as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; this program has been deemed as legalized racial profiling and impacting the Latino community and greater community in many negative ways.  Education is the greatest tool and knowledge is power- therefore it is my ultimate goal to be an educator that provides an empowering and inspiring education that pushes students to enact change within their communities and within the world.

     I am very excited to be a part of the Bonner Advisory Board and to help work with the other Bonner Representatives to continue to improve our Bonner Program to be the most effective and impacting as possible.  BONNER LOVE <3 <3

Nic Flores - TEAM RUST - nicholasflores_2012@depauw.edu

     Holla!! My name is Nicholas Flores and I am a rising Junior at DePauw Univerisity in Greencastle, Indiana. I've been involved with the Bonner Program since attending DePauw, and have served as a Congress Representative for the past two school years. With the fire of a thousand suns, I have an ever increasing passion for serving others and connecting individuals. As a Bonner, I've served Greencastle, and the surrounding area, by researching and informing the public on issues pertaining to energy and the environment. Interestingly enough, I spent this past academic semester at the Indiana General Assembly in Indianapolis, IN with a group of students observing, researching, and testifying on various pieces of green legislation. This experience was truly remarkable and was made possible, in part, by the Bonner Program. 

     These experiences have laid the foundation for what I've done as a Bonner, and hopefully the work I will do in my future. In my spare time (hoping there's any), I enjoy spending time with people close to me, reading, and DANCING (like no one's watching). It is my hope that the Congress Representatives I represent can turn to me for advice, help, and friendly banter. Oh, and I'm certain we will have a great time working with one another!! I'm looking forward to working with Congress Representatives from the Rust Team!

Tim Krumreig - TEAM RUST - timothy.krumreig@oberlin.edu

My name is Tim Krumreig. I am a third year at Oberlin College studying Geology and Anthropology. The Bonner Scholars program continues to have a tremendous impact on my life. I have made many connections, created lasting friendships, engaged in many incredible experiences and most importantly formed a greater understanding and relationship with my community. My major roles in the Bonner program have been serving as the chair of the Oberlin Bonner Activities Committee, serving as a Bonner Congress Representative, and now serving as a new member on the Bonner Advisory Board. Over the past couple years as a Bonner, I have worked with art students at the local middle school, coordinated Dr. Seuss day, a community wide literacy event, traveled to london to serve at a wonderful mental health charity, and work regularly with the Oberlin Heritage Center on multiple levels. I have had a chance to meet Bonners through both SLI and Sophomore exchange. I believe that exchanging ideas and working together will strengthen individual programs and the National Bonner Network as a whole. I look forward to connecting with Bonners in my region and all over the country! 

Anna Miller - TEAM RUBY - acmiller@mail.widener.edu

     Hi!  My name is Anna Miller and I am a junior at Widener University.  The Bonner program is one of the main reasons that I chose to finish my undergraduate degree before attending pharmacy school as opposed to leaving Widener after two years to pursue my pharmacy degree.  I made this decision because I believe that we are truly able to make a difference in the community as a result of an incredible network and extensive list of training and enrichment resources.  My service stems primarily through leadership as this past year I was a Congress Representative and have recently become a junior intern for our program at Widener.  I am also a recent addition to the IMPACT planning committee.  I like to serve through leadership because I feel that my strongest suit includes delegating workloads that provide the most efficient means to an end.  Although I enjoy these leadership positions, I also enjoy serving in the mother baby program at CityTeam Ministries, which is located right in Chester, Pennsylvania.  Direct service with this organization allows me to personally work with mothers who are unable to afford diapers and formula for their children.  This direct service encourages me to think of the bigger picture, of what is the underlying issue that creates the need for this program.  Matters such as these inspire thoughts that instigate programs that assist these mothers and their children.

Shanell Ransom - TEAM GOLD - slransom@edisto.cofc.edu

     Shanell Ransom is a sophomore at the College of Charleston with a Sociology major and a minor in Crime, Law, and Society. During her first year in the Bonner Leader Program, she served as the Bonner Congress Representative, attended IMPACT, and assisted with recruitment for Fall 2010. She has a passion for those with developmental disabilities and works with the Charleston County Therapeutic Recreation. She lives by a quote from Christopher Shepp, “Good, better, best never let it rest until my good is better and my better is best.”

April Risley - TEAM PLUM - aa12risl@siena.edu

     I am a third year Siena College Bonner Service Leader. My first year here, I interned at the Boys and Girls Club where I worked with inner-city at risk youth in after school programming. I have now taken on a new position in our program as the Community Partner Liaison. I am also the President of the Mentoring Program on campus, where I coordinate 60 Siena volunteers to mentor approximately 60 at risk youth from Albany. I absolutely LOVE children and hope to someday become a child advocacy lawyer!

Jared Smith - TEAM AQUA - jasmith@davidson.edu

     Hi y’all! I’m a Senior Bonner Scholar at Davidson College, double majoring in Music and English. Davidson is a little town north of Charlotte, North Carolina, while I’m originally from Durham, North Carolina. I am so excited to be able to connect with you through this new entity: the Bonner Congress Advisory Board. My passion is for connecting people – whether to each other, to information, to what excites them, or to what needs to be done – and this role will definitely encourage connections!

To fulfill the bulk of my service hours, I am Davidson College’s Community Outreach Intern – which means I meet with executive directors of local non-profits and facilitate communication amongst them, and between them and the College. I do this through social media, as well as through traditional meetings, partnering with the Lake Norman Community Development Council. I also serve as a steering committee member of a community service movement on campus, Engage For Change, as well as the Vice-Chair for our campus’s Bonner Community Fund Steering Committee.

     I can’t wait for us to get in touch, and hope that the addition of this committee will prove a meaningful and helpful addition to your experience as a Bonner Congress representative.

     Bonner Love!

Retiring from the BAB, to be replaced by Maverick Marquadt - jpkelly@stetson.edu

Jack Kelly - TEAM GOLD 

     Hi there everyone! My name is Jack Kelly and I am a fourth year Bonner Scholar at Stetson University in Deland, Florida. Last year I was the Bonner Student Government Liason as well as the Congress Representative. I also served as the Congress Rep. this year and am now applying to be part of our very own Stetson LEAD team to help steer our Bonner program in the next year. My first work site for Bonner was the Humane Society. I loved working with the people and animals there. From there I felt like I wanted a better idea of the laws and legislation side to community service so I began to work with the IMPACT Conference. This is my second year on the planning board and third year attending the conference! I head up a community service group on campus called Into The Streets as well. We go out into the community twice per month and encourage any University student to come and participate in service projects all over our town. This meshing with the community breeds a better respect that the community has for our school and that the students have for the permanent residents of our city. 

     Joining Bonner has been one of the best accomplishments in my schooling career. The program has taught me a ton about myself, my work habits, and how to work with other people. I wouldn't trade what I've been taught by my fellow scholars or mentors in the past three years for anything. I'm looking forward to my last collegiate year as a Bonner being stronger than any and hoping it will be loaded with fun.

-Jack Kelly