Expectations of Participating Schools

The Bonner Foundation has three basic expectations for schools participating in the Bonner Leader Program:

• Call some group of students Bonner Leaders;
• Engage the Bonner Leaders in an intensive (10 hour per week) of at least two years in duration;
• Attend our Fall Directors/Coordinators meeting and Students Congress Meetings, as well as the Summer Leadership Institute;

Below we provide a more detailed list of programmatic and operational expectations:

Staffing & Infrastructure

• Assign a staff person to manage the Bonner Leader Program and be the point of contact for the Bonner Foundation communication and reporting
• House the Bonner Leader Program within or closely connected to a campus-wide community service or service-learning center or office

Service Expectations for Bonner Leaders

• Serve a minimum of two years
  • After two years of service, students who start in their sophomore year are encouraged to stay for an “optional year” as a Bonner, which might allow for modifications in the service requirements in terms of placement, service hours and financial support.
• Attend orientation at the beginning of the program.
• Perform a minimum of 240 hours of service during the school year
• Attend regularly scheduled Bonner meetings and events and one-on-one advising with a staff member
• Recommended: participate in a first-year service trip and a second-year service exchange
• Make a final presentation of learning
• Recommended: participate in a summer service internship.
• Engage in the student developmental model and common commitments.

Financial Support to Bonner Leaders

• Receive stipend through work-study, scholarship, AmeriCorps Education Awards, or other forms of financial support for their service during the school year each year.
• Strongly encourage additional financial support for:
  • up to $2,500 for one summer service internship.
  • first-year service trip
  • second-year service exchange

Participation in the National Bonner Network

• Identify students participating in the program as “Bonner Leaders.”
• Track and report on the program using the Bonner Web-Based Reporting System (BWBRS)
• Attend the following annual Bonner Foundation meetings:
  • New Bonner Directors & Coordinators Meeting
  • Fall Bonner Directors & Coordinators Meeting
  • Fall Bonner Student Congress Meeting
  • Bonner Summer Leadership Institute