The Bonner Partners Program

The Bonner Scholars Program was founded in 1990 by Corella and Bertram F. Bonner. The intention of the program was to provide students with high financial need a scholarship that would provide them an “access to education, opportunity to serve.” Today the Bonner Scholar Program supports roughly 1500 students at 27 college campuses, providing them scholarship and programmatic support in exchange for social service. The Scholars dedicate 140 hours of service a semester and 280 hours a summer. Three years ago the Bonner Foundation also collaborated with AmeriCorps to found the Bonner Leader Program. The Foundation currently provides programmatic support to Bonner Leader students at 55 campuses nationwide.

The Bonner Partners Program is designed to forge relationships between the Bonner Foundation, Bonner Scholars and Leaders, and the Bonner campuses with select national and international service organizations. The intention of this endeavor is to seek out and develop ways in which members of the Bonner community might benefit one another—such as through utilizing summer internships, alternative break projects, cross recruitment opportunities, post-graduation opportunities, participation in funding collaborations, sharing resources, and more.

The Bonner Partners Program ensures that Bonner students are able to engage in meaningful service experiences. This relationship will provide them not only with the opportunity to serve but valuable reflection on their experiences. This will enable them to find their voice within the service community and seek out their place as citizens in a world full of need.

As a Bonner Partner you will be invited to work with highly motivated, socially-conscientious students who will bring a strong work ethic and enthusiasm for service to your organization. You will also have the opportunity to forge connections with the larger service community through the shared resources of the Bonner Partners Program.

In addition to using the Bonner Partners database, please visit Idealist.org and search the internship database.

Specific opportunities within the Partners Program include:

• Summer Internships

Bonner students are given the resources to engage in meaningful summer service opportunities 2-3 summers of their college career. As a Bonner Partner you will be given the opportunity to provide a summer learning experience to Bonners. Students may research your summer service placements through our online Partner database off the Bonner Foundation website. While the Foundation does provide financial assistance to the Bonner students, you will be given the option to supplement their stipend by providing monetary resources, housing, transportation, etc. While this is not a requirement for Partnership, as our students do have a high degree of need such assistance in exchange for the 280 hours of service is much appreciated.

• Alternative Breaks

Many Partners have a need for Bonners to assist with short-term larger service projects. All first year Bonner students are required to participate in an alternative break project, and all students are encouraged to seek out service opportunities during their breaks. As a Bonner Partner your organization may choose to host a group of Bonners on one of these breaks. Particularly for alternative breaks, provision of housing is appreciated but not required.

• Post-Graduate Opportunities

As a Bonner Partner, you have the option to extend full-time staff positions or internships to Bonner alumni. With four years of significant social service experience, Bonner alumni make ideal employees.

• Training and Retreats

In order to strengthen the service aspect of the Bonner program, students are provided with enrichment opportunities in the form of leadership trainings and retreats. As a Bonner Partner your organization may participate in these events as a facilitator or leader. You may also be invited to attend volunteer and job fairs, and regional gatherings of Bonner students, known as cluster events. Other events open to Partners include national meetings on service learning and meetings on local campuses.

• Distribution of Materials

Your organization’s materials will be made available to our Bonners and other members of the service community through our online Bonner Partner database. Here individuals will have a chance to explore your organizational mission, internship or volunteer information, post-graduate opportunities and information regarding available supplements to their stipend.

• Recruit High School Students

As a Bonner Partner, you may help identify high school students in your area whom you believe would be interested and eligible for the Bonner Scholar or Leader Program.