Meet Hunter - Bonner Summer Intern

Hey y’all! My name is Hunter Malone. I am a Junior at Berea College, located in beautiful Berea, Kentucky.  I am studying Sociology and History, with hopes of later working in student leadership development and Non-profit management. I am originally from Bristol, Tennessee. I love the outdoors and am an avid hiker. I enjoy kayaking, hammocking, and going on spontaneous road-trip adventures! I have been in the Bonner Scholar program for 2 years now. Thanks to the Bonner program, I was introduced to social activism and have had the opportunity to learn and serve in ways I would have never imagined! I am passionate about various social justice issues including equality, immigration, the refugee crisis, and many others! I am a major coffee fan, always looking for a stylish mug and a good dark roast. When I am not drinking coffee, outside, or fighting injustice, you can usually find me doing yoga or hanging out with friends! 

One of the most transformative Bonner experiences I have had, occurred my first year of college. My Bonner cohort participated in a refugee simulation, hosted by local resettlement agencies and churches in the area. While participating, I was posed with having to decide on giving up a personal item (a very special bracelet I was wearing) to attain a small food ration. Although I received the item back after the simulation was over, I was heartbroken over having to give up a very sentimental object so that my “family” could eat. This was the first exposure I had to any social justice issue, and my first interaction with the refugee crisis. This event was eye opening to me, helping me discover an area that I am passionate about serving and advocating for. A year after experiencing the simulation, I had the opportunity to bring that simulation to my college and expose many other students to the issue.

Through my time at the Bonner Foundation, I am hoping to learn best practices to better serve my community back home as well as help create and implement these best practices across the national network. I am looking forward to playing a small role in strengthening our network and, in the process, strengthening the impact the Bonner program can have in communities across America and throughout the world. I am also hoping to expand on one of the Bonner common commitments, spiritual exploration. I look forward to both learning about new faiths while growing in my own! Aside from my work at the foundation, I am excited to explore a part of the United States I am unfamiliar with, the North-East! I am new to the area and am looking forward to exploring local cities and experiencing a new way of life both in small and large areas!