Bonner Foundation  •  10 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ 08540  •  609-924-6663 office  •  609-683-4626 fax  • info@bonner.org

In the third decade of the Bonner Program we must Diagnose, Integrate, Collaborate, and Evaluate. The Bonner Foundation has made a tremendous impact on programs and strategies at Spelman College.

1. Good, better, best,
   

2. Never let it rest,
   

3. Until the good is better,
   

4. And the better, best!
   

D is for Diagnose. We must diagnose in a manner similar to the way a doctor must diagnose your condition before prescribing medicine and a treatment plan.  At Spelman we go out and look at pressing and un-met needs of our community.  We attend neighborhood planning meetings and sponsor community forums to identify critical community issues and needs. Information gained from this process has been used to develop a Community Engagement and Development Goal within the Spelman College Strategic plan. Our current focus under this goal is on four areas: (1) education, (2) economic development, (3) environmental sustainability, and  (4) health and wellness 

I is for Integrate.  We have integrated the Bonner goals with the strategic planning process of Spelman College. Everything that we do is consistent with our strategic plan and our institutional mission.  We have identified a specific service area surrounding Spelman College to create a greater impact of our service efforts.  A service area with parameters that extend 1.7 miles in all directions. Strategic community partners were selected.

C is for Collaborate.   We collaborate with, and receive input and research assistance from, the Bonner Advisory Council,  Atlanta University President’s Council and the Community to discuss and identify pressing needs within our community.

E is for Evaluate.  Evaluation of programs and services is essential.  We recently participated in an ACSE campus-wide survey instrument done by the Siena Research Institute. The overall results for Spelman indicated that 87% of Spelman students are actively involved in service.  The survey also identified challenges, one being transportation and our ability to get students to and from their service sites.  We must assess and evaluate to identify our strengths and weaknesses.  Only then will we be able to strengthen our efforts and plan effectively for the future.