by Kerry Steinhofer • August 26, 2020 • Centre College website
This summer, as part of the Centre College Bonner Program’s Summers of Service, Kat Duarte ’22 (Lexington, Kentucky) and Christina Smith ’21 (Rineyville, Kentucky) served as Know Your Issue researchers for the Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation.
Kat Duarte ’22
The Bonner Foundation created a new Summer of Service virtual opportunity for students at any of the Bonner schools. The Know Your Issue project was led by Foundation President Bobby Hacket.
This project was intended for students to research an issue in their community they are passionate about solving and create an issue brief to present on how to solve the problem with new policies.
Duarte focused her project on the barriers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for underrepresented minorities, with the goal of addressing those barriers and seeking ways to increase representation in those fields.
“I’m researching infant mortality at the national, state and local level,” Smith said. “It’s a pretty important topic because the U.S., despite being wealthy and industrialized, has a really big infant mortality issue when you compare us to our peer nations. It’s all tied up in bigger issues like racial inequality, poverty and the lack of affordable healthcare, and it’s been difficult given that there is no one solution, or even ten, to fix the problem.”
Duarte said when this opportunity was brought to her attention, she was excited to have the freedom to choose any issue she’s passionate about while working with a program she’s comfortable with.
“I was also able to bring in my own experience and identity into my issue brief topic, she added. “It has been fairly difficult incorporating my academic interests with service on the local Danville level, but this opportunity let me do just that.”
Christina Smith ’21
Being a Bonner Scholar, Smith thought it would be interesting to work within the Foundation and work with other Scholars from across the globe.
“This particular internship also gave me the opportunity to combine my interests in public health with my position as a Bonner Scholar, which isn’t something I had the opportunity to do before,” Smith said.
Duarte enjoyed knowing that, even in the midst of COVID-19, she can still do something productive and meaningful.
“The pandemic has shown the gravity of disparities and inequalities in the U.S. today, and I think being able to work with an organization that focuses on civil engagement, service and opportunity all year around has been empowering,” she added.
Duarte said she is proud with the work she’s accomplished this summer.
“Even though at times doing work was difficult, because of the given circumstances, knowing that I was able to complete tasks was rewarding,” she shared. “After researching funding and different government programs, it was interesting to see first-hand the way issues are intersected and related. I’ve learned and been able to read about it in articles in class, but through this experience, I learned about more resources and databases to trace funding and policy.”