Devin Morgan with his artwork, "Grow Food, Grow Community."
Devin Morgan interned at Shalom Farms, a nonprofit working toward food security in the Richmond area. Morgan, a 2026 graduate, is among nearly 100 students who, through the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, make a four-year commitment to work up to 10 hours per week with a nonprofit, school, or government agency as a Bonner Scholar.
The Scholars emerge from this experience with a greater understanding of their communities, as well as the skills and commitment needed to be effective in community problem-solving efforts.
“Community reminds me of how roots are interconnected, how they hold things together, and how they bring forth life,” Morgan said.
Amber Castaneda served as a mentor for students at Cristo Rey Richmond High School. “I learned so much from the actual students that I worked with every single day, and they challenged me in ways I didn't think were possible,” Castaneda said.
Spring semester, Morgan, Castaneda, and other senior Scholars transformed their civic engagement experiences into stories and art, created under the guidance of Richmond artist Hamilton Glass, and displayed them at the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement’s annual Presentations of Learning.
“This year, we're honoring 17 Bonner Scholars who have shown real dedication to civic engagement during their time at the University of Richmond,” said Jacci Banegas-Abreu, director of the Bonner Scholars Program. “Not just showing up, but building relationships, learning alongside community partners, and thinking deeply about what it means to create social change alongside them.”
After the reception and art viewing, the event moved to the auditorium, where students further discussed their artwork and the experiences that informed it. Bonner alumni Kim Dean-Anderson, Victoria Lara, Cory Schutter, and Benedict Roemer facilitated four panel discussions on topics ranging from education and economic access to healthcare and well-being.
Bonner Scholar Ny'Kya Scott-McKoy presenting her mixed media piece, Injustice x. "The papier-mache newspaper background is representative of the different stories I encountered on my internship," she said. Her experiences included painting at elementary schools, working on legislation addressing the Black mortality rate in Virginia, and picking weeds and painting houses for families who had just been granted housing.
One of the panels, Advocacy & Justice, included Ny'Kya Scott-McKoy, Grace Randolph, Cristalla Chapman, and Ina Loka. These students worked at organizations, like the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, with individuals facing housing insecurity, debt, and/or domestic violence. Scott-McKoy and Randolph advocated for policy reform in Virginia.
Chapman’s artwork, titled “Round and Around the Systems of Injustice,” focused on the connections between her two service sites, the Ronald McDonald House and the Virginia Poverty Law Center. She said the experience will stick with her forever.
“I'm always going to be a person who cares about the community,” Chapman said. “I'm always going to care about other people.”
Banegas-Abreu closed the night with words of wisdom for the seniors as they prepared to enter new chapters of their lives. “As you move forward, stay resilient. Stay grounded, stay fiercely kind, and wherever you go, stay connected to community.”
The Bonner Scholars applaud their director, Jacci Banegas-Abreu (front row, center).