History
Since the inception of the Bonner Scholar Program, student input has been instrumental in creating, implementing, and strengthening the program on both the local and national levels. It has been the Bonner Scholars and Bonner Leaders, and the Bonner Congress representing them, that have made the student voice vital to the success, integrity, and future of the program.

Philosophy
The mission of the Bonner Congress is to have Bonners at each campus that are knowledgeable about and able to communicate Foundation activities and perspectives to their peers, as well as share student perspectives on a number of issues with the Foundation and the Bonner Program at large.

This philosophy should be supported by all Bonner Congress Representatives through active representation and interaction with all parts of the Bonner community. At the same time, the Foundation and the Bonner Congress desire to allow its philosophy to continually develop through the student voice represented by Bonner Congress.

Structure
The Bonner Congress is devised of two different student groups within the Bonner community. The Bonner Congress, as a whole, is a joint group of Representatives from Bonner Scholar Program and Bonner Leader Program. And, as the Bonner community grows, so grows The Bonner Congress. At each Bonner Scholars Program two (2) Bonner Scholars are elected or appointed to be the Bonner Congress Representatives. From each Bonner Leaders Program, one (1) Bonner Leader is elected or appointed to be the Bonner Congress Representative.

Collectively, this group assumes the role of representing the Bonner community of students. The two bodies join to form a single body representing their Programs to The Bonner Foundation and The Bonner Foundation to their Programs. However, due to different administrational operations, the two bodies of Bonner Congress Representatives are also distinct from one another within The Bonner Congress. This distinction is maintained in order to meet the different needs of both The Bonner Scholars Program and The Bonner Leaders Program, supporting the individuality of each Program, while also joining at times to represent the Bonner Community as a whole.

The Bonner Congress also has a single liaison to The Bonner Foundation, The Bonner Congress Coordinator. The Bonner Congress Coordinator is a staff member of The Bonner Foundation who does not represent any particular Program. This position is designed to facilitate the representation process. In effect, The Bonner Congress Coordinator receives the information and concerns of the Bonner Congress and relays it to The Bonner Foundation and in turn relays the responses and initiatives of The Bonner Foundation back to The Bonner Congress.