Associate Professor of Social Sciences (Sociology and Child and Family Studies)

Dr. Andrea Woodward is a community-engaged teacher and scholar who continues to develop courses, research, and collaborations that encourage student learning and community development. With this recognition, we specifically celebrate Dr. Woodward's leadership and contributions to the development of a minor in Community and Civic Engagement at Berea College. In Dr. Woodward's role as the Service-Learning Faculty Fellow, she truly went "above and beyond" in her leadership and contributions to the research, visioning, designing, coalition-building, and writing, which ultimately led to the approval and establishment of the new minor in Community and Civic Engagement, beginning in the 2023-24 academic year. Dr. Woodward's commitment to making the vision for the minor a reality was driven by a need articulated by students, faculty, and staff, for a curricular pathway to support students in exploring how their academic majors approach public-facing careers and community problem-solving. Two years into the minor, students from 3 different disciplines have graduated with the CCE minor, and more are pursuing the minor as part of their Berea College academic journey. We celebrate Dr. Woodward's significant role in developing this pathway.

SpelREADS Literacy Program Manager

Dr. Ariana Brazier, Spelman College Bonner Scholar C'2016, exemplifies transformative excellence through community building and social justice through her work as the SpelREADS Literacy Program manager and play-driven community organizer. Her research highlights how Black children's play serves as grassroots storytelling, teaching, and organizing. With a PhD in English, Critical & Cultural Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Brazier brings her unique perspective to Spelman students, teaching them to use games that keep younger students actively engaged during tutoring sessions, focused during transitions, and energized through challenging lessons. Her vision goes beyond providing immediate academic support. This past March, elementary school students visited the campus not only to experience life at Spelman College, but also to see role models who look like them at an institution dedicated to their academic advancement. This experience helps the students envision their own futures in higher education. Based in Atlanta, Dr. Brazier's approach to scholarship and community engagement reflects her commitment to raising a joyful and free Black child. She creates spaces where play is encouraged, putting radical love into action and building havens of care and belonging. Dr. Brazier challenges systems of oppression while celebrating the joy she derives from her son, Remix, and the communities she serves with unwavering dedication.

In a world where academia can sometimes feel distant from real feelings and people, Ari Brazier reminds us of what magic happens when brilliance meets boundless love. Thank you for showing us that the most revolutionary act is to nurture joy and freedom in equal measure, whether in community spaces or in raising your beautiful Remix —Mellonee Axam.

Co-President of the Bonner Leader Program

It is with great admiration that we recognize Avery Miles for his outstanding commitment to social action and advocacy. Throughout his journey, Avery has exemplified a profound dedication to addressing the needs of communities and places through meaningful engagement in social justice initiatives, legislation, and advocacy efforts. His unwavering commitment to creating positive change reflects a deep understanding of the power of collective action and the importance of amplifying marginalized voices. Avery’s leadership and passion have inspired those around him to become active participants in shaping a more equitable and just society. Thank you, Avery, for your lifelong dedication to serving as an agent of positive change across the world. Your efforts continue to make a lasting impact, and your example serves as an inspiration to all who aspire to foster meaningful social transformation.

Thank you for your lifelong dedication to serving as an agent of positive change across the world—Robert Tillman.

Associate Professor, Sociology and Director of Civic Engagement

A sociology professor and Director of Civic Engagement, Dr. Bernadette Ludwig has played a crucial role in developing civic leaders at Wagner College through her mentorship and guidance. She had led multiple civic engagement initiatives at Wagner College, including the Food Recovery Network and WagnerVotes. Through the Bonner Foundation’s community-engaged learning grant, she revised Wagner’s Civic Engagement Minor to help students integrate their curricular and co-curricular learning and develop a civic identity. Over the years, she has forged impactful partnerships supporting refugee communities in Staten Island and empowering countless Bonner students as campus and community leaders.

Assistant Director of Community Engagement

Derek provides essential leadership for democratic engagement work by leading campus-wide collaboration. He works tirelessly to identify opportunities for Macalester community members to weigh in on governance processes. Whether the election cycle is mayoral, midterm, or general, Mobilize Mac is intended to be a space to access important timely information.

Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies - Jepson School

Dr. Henley innovated the approach to sevice-learning that is a traditional part of the Justice and Civil Society class in the Jepson School of Leadership studies by joining the Richmond Cemetery Collaboratory during the pandemic(https://cemeterycollaboratory.org/). The Collaboratory works with groups in Richmond who are stewarding Richmond's Black cemeteries that have suffered from Jim Crow and institutional racism. She was originally interested in connecting her historical research into untimely deaths with lower risk student learning opportunities during the pandemic. Over the years, however, she has embraced cemeteries—and their legacies—as ideal sites to explore community values, historical erasure, enduring inequity, and collective beliefs in the greater good. Most recently, Dr. Henley has served the board of Woodland Restoration Foundation on their executive board, working more than 10 hours a week on projects such as writing grants, researching regulations, writing documentation for the work of Woodland Restoration Foundation, and stewarding a group of youth doing independent studies, on top of organizing work days for her own class. As an active member of the Collaboratory group she participates in advocacy for the cemeteries and large group projects such as the first Richmond Cemeteries Collaboratory Symposium (https://www.richmondcemeteries.org/2025/03/21/richmond-cemetery-collaboratory-symposium-3-29-2025/). Lauren is a young faculty member who has made a substantial impact already in the Richmond landscape.

We are grateful to Lauren for putting so much into preserving Richmond cemeteries as places for communal remembrance and for affording dignity to people who were not appropriately honored in their own time.

Professor of Spanish & Portuguese

Professor Olsen is an exceptional scholar practitioner with deep roots and commitments in community-engaged scholarship. From teaching an adjacent course to our Bonner first year service trip to assisting CEC staff with establishing EDUC225 Education, Community and Cultural Survival in New Orleans, Molly has been an amazing thought-partner, collaborator and co-conspirator!

Assistant Provost for Civic Engagement

Marina Barnett has been a force behind the growing engagement of students and faculty at Widener University for over two decades. She has co-led professional development for faculty in community engaged learning for over twenty years, spurring engaged departments and programs. Most recently as Assistant Provost for Civic Engagement, she has taken a systematic approach to broadening and deepening engagement at Widener.

Marina is brilliant strategist, a creative educator, a dedicated advocate, and a kind soul. Marina brings inspiration to all of her work, grounding her approaches in a true assets-oriented perspective. She empowers her team and colleagues. On top of this, Marina is a lot of fun and a force for good.—Ariane Hoy

Professor of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability

Mary Finley-Brook is a committed advocate for undergraduate engagement in environmental service learning, empowering students to work directly with frontline communities on real-world issues. She has provided students with opportunities to contribute to climate justice, energy equity, and sustainable policy initiatives. Her work exemplifies civic engagement and social action, centering participatory action research and linking classroom learning to community-based problem-solving. She and her students have contributed to environmental justice research that has informed multiple bills proposed by a Virginia state legislator, to community-led efforts to prevent construction of a compressor station in Buckingham County, VA, and to campus advocacy and organization for responsible environmental stewardship. Fostering partnerships with organizations such as Bridging the Gap in Virginia and Comité Diálogo Ambiental has allowed Dr. Finley-Brook to connect students to green workforce training and energy justice projects, cultivating the next generation of socially conscious environmental leaders.

Dr. Finley-Brook’s work as an educator, mentor, author, and activist reverberates on campus, in Virginia, and beyond. We are grateful for her contributions to and impact on the vital environmental work that shapes our shared future.

Professor of Anthropology

Dr. Miriam Shakow, Professor of Anthropology at the College of New Jersey specializes in integrating social action model in her teaching. She empowers students through her Climate Justice and Social Action course to enact real-world change. Her action-oriented curriculum guides students to launch impactful campaigns—such as starting a college shuttle to nearby train stations, adding Bee sanctuaries and native plants on campus, hiring a campus sustainability coordinator—fostering deep understanding and effective community activism on climate and social justice issues.

Professor Emeritus, Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Dr. Scott Myers-Lipton, Professor of Sociology at San José State University firmly believes in students’ ability to create change. He teaches students to apply what they learn about policy to their own organizing. Dr. Myers-Lipton was the faculty advisor for the SJSU students’ successful effort to raise the minimum wage in San José from $8 to $10. With his support, his social action students have won 17 campaigns from 2006-2023. He co-founded the Institute on Teaching Social Action, which has trained over 350 faculty from 238 colleges worldwide. His innovative model empowers educators nationwide to guide students in launching impactful social action campaigns, advancing the Bonner Network’s mission to foster civic engagement and social change in higher education.

Visiting Assistant Professor

A cultural anthropologist at the College of St.Benedict/St. John's University (CSBSJU) and Director of the Initiative for Native Nations Revitalization, Dr. Ted Gordon’s teaching and scholarship exhibit deep knowledge of and commitment to community engagement. His research sheds light on American Indian activism and its impacts on public policy and perceptions. As Bonner Faculty Fellow, he co-organized and led the Community Engaged Learning faculty cohort at CSBSJU, guiding the faculty cohort through the development of new courses, or revision of existing courses, to incorporate community engaged learning in ways that serve the needs identified by community partners while providing students with high impact practices. He is currently serves on the Community Education and Research Committee for the Central Minnesota Community Empowerment Organization, a non-profit that serves refugees in need. His commitment to serving all members of our culturally diverse community is inspiring and noteworthy.

Assistant Professor of History; Co-Director, Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center at Sewanee; Assistant Director, Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, & Reconciliation

Dr. Tiffany Momon is a public historian who works with community groups to build a rich story of African-American communities, whose history has been untold through inattention. Her research focuses on enslaved and free artisans' lives, artistry, and labor in Charleston, South Carolina. With the Foundation’s Community-Engaged Learning grant, she piloted an innovative learning community designed to create place-based education modules for the public schools and Sewanee classes. Working with Sewanee's African-American St. Mark's community, her classes at Sewanee support developing a community-run public archive of the untold and undocumented history of this community.

Executive Director

William Oliver demonstrates remarkable dedication to community empowerment through his transformative leadership as the Executive Director of STEAMsport, Inc. and the John Hope EnVison Center. With nearly two decades of experience creating pathways to opportunity, Mr. Oliver has guided over 3,000 low-income families toward self-sufficiency and educational advancement. His impactful work as External Affairs Director of the Integral Youth and Family Project provided crucial educational support to public housing residents, connecting them with vital services and opening doors to higher education. A proud graduate of Bethune-Cookman University with an MBA from Troy State University, William's commitment to excellence extends beyond his professional achievements to his family life. His steadfast dedication to addressing community needs through education, mentorship, and career development represents the highest ideals of social advocacy and transformative community service.William Oliver demonstrates remarkable dedication to community empowerment through his transformative leadership as the Executive Director of STEAMsport, Inc. and the John Hope EnVison Center. With nearly two decades of experience creating pathways to opportunity, Mr. Oliver has guided over 3,000 low-income families toward self-sufficiency and educational advancement. His impactful work as External Affairs Director of the Integral Youth and Family Project provided crucial educational support to public housing residents, connecting them with vital services and opening doors to higher education.

A proud graduate of Bethune-Cookman University with an MBA from Troy State University, William's commitment to excellence extends beyond his professional achievements to his family life. His steadfast dedication to addressing community needs through education, mentorship, and career development represents the highest ideals of social advocacy and transformative community service.

William Oliver's tireless dedication transforms lives through education and opportunity, creating ripples of positive change that extend far beyond the communities he directly serves. His compassionate leadership reminds us that true excellence lies in empowering others to reach their fullest potential—Mellonee Axam.