Kristina Ayers '25 is interning at a medical clinic for the homeless in Washington, D.C. through the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty.
Powered by Plants: Davidson College Bonner Scholar, Louisa Bartkovich ’22 Named Smith Scholar
Iesha-LaShay Phillips: Fourth-Year, Bonner Scholar, Truman Scholar, Community Organizer, Future Yale Law Student
Davidson College's Luis Cordero ’22 Selected as Watson Fellow
Luis Cordero ‘22 with two other Davidson College students Ellie Lipp ‘22 and Chichi Odd ‘22 are among the 54th Class of Thomas J. Watson Fellows. Their research will examine how countries around the world treat the challenges of aging and elder care, perceptions of disability and the mental health of athletes.
Amelia Ruggles '22 honored at Capital University
College of St. Benedict Bonner Leader Sydney Walker chosen as a Truman Scholar
Growing up in Watertown, South Dakota, Sydney Walker always had a keen interest in education – largely because her parents are both teachers. She came to the College of Saint Benedict, where her mom, Tricia (Koob) Walker, was a 1993 graduate, and started out on the same career path. But going to CSB and Saint John’s University quickly broadened Sydney’s worldview.
“I’ve always had a passion for learning – I think my parents have instilled that in me since I was little,” said Walker, who is finishing her junior year as a political science major. “I knew I could create an inclusive classroom myself, but it is hard for a single-classroom teacher to have a broader impact on the education system. Over time, I realized my influence could be broader from a public policy level.”
Very soon she will have opportunity to develop that influence as the latest on a short list of Saint Ben’s Truman Scholars, and having accepted a summer internship with the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
W&L's Bri Mondesir ’22 has found her purpose as a scholar in the Bonner Program
Lights, Camera, Activism: Ranee Sang '21 Rollins College Bonner Leader
Renee Sang ’21 may be a local, but her Rollins experience took her well beyond the boundaries of Central Florida in her quest to illuminate social justice issues through documentary filmmaking. . .
Her first year at Rollins, Sang joined the Bonner Leaders—a four-year, cohort-based community service scholarship program—and that single decision set her on a path that would form the basis of her work for the next four years.
Mountain Mover: Roman Rojas, '21 Mars Hill University Bonner Scholar
Roman Rojas ‘21 says he found a second home on the Hill. As the Mars Hill University’s first DACA student, he faced some unique challenges, but persevered and fulfilled his dream of earning a college degree, graduating in May with a business administration major and a certificate in community engagement. Through his experiences as a Bonner Scholar, an Alpha Chi member, and a DKT brother, he found numerous opportunities to move mountains through Mars Hill University.
9 Bonners Selected for 2022-23 Newman Civic Fellowship
The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes and supports community-committed students who are changemakers and public problem-solvers at Campus Compact member institutions. Fellows are nominated by their president or chancellor on the basis of their potential for public leadership.
Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides students with training and resources that nurture their assets and passions and help them develop strategies for social change. The yearlong program, named for Campus Compact founder Frank Newman, includes virtual learning opportunities and networking as part of a national network of engaged student leaders and an optional in-person convening.
Campus Compact views the Newman Civic Fellowship as a core component of our strategy to build a national network of engaged student leaders who can support one another in building transformational partnerships between campuses and communities.
Below we have included the personal statement from each of the nine Bonners who are part of the 2022-23 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.
Guilford College Spotlights Bonner Scholar Ben James ’22
Bonner Scholar Ben James ’22 had plans to play soccer for a college in his home state of Pennsylvania when he realized he needed to make a bigger change.
“There was a lot of transformation going on, but by the time I made all of these decisions, it was the spring of my senior year, and the recruiting is all but closed by that time,” he says. “During a tournament in February of 2018, the assistant coach from Guilford contacted me and said they were still looking to fill the recruiting class, so I applied.”
Ben didn’t have a chance to visit Guilford before making the decision, but the opportunity to play soccer, as well as the financial aid that went along with being a Bonner Scholar, made it an easy choice.
Charleston Area Urban League Features Kaytlin Brown '23
Kaytlin Brown, CAUL Intern, shares her thoughts about the Urban League:
I am a junior at the College of Charleston pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Public Health and double minoring in Communication and Political Science, on the Pre-Law track. My interests lie within the intersections of interface communication and advocacy.
My goal is to utilize my experience in such a field to evoke change for minorities in the realms of public policy, public health, and business operations.
Guilford Recognizes Three Graduating Bonner Scholars
Congratulations to the Guilford College’s graduating Bonners - Hsar “Ree Ree” Wei, Moe Reh, and Exel Valle-Estrada! Their time at Guilford has been marked with change and challenge, but their perseverance shines through in their success. Below, get to know the recent graduates and find out how they're planning to go out into the world.
Student-Led Initiative Aims to Address Health Inequities in Chester
Ijjae Hill is driven to help others and inspire those around her to do the same.
Before the pandemic, the Widener sophomore had been researching health inequities and disparities in Chester. When COVID-19 hit, and those issues became even more pronounced, she was compelled to take action.
Hill reached out to the university’s Center for Civic and Global Engagement (CCGE) with ideas.
Fast forward a few months, and her drive has led to Widener securing a grant to fund COVID-19 tests for uninsured Chester residents; to support research to gain a clearer picture of health access, resources, and gaps in the city; and to host an educational panel to discuss the issues.
First-year UT Bonner Markets Glazer Children’s Museum
Every Tuesday and Thursday, after Brin Robinson’s morning class wraps up, she walks across the Cass Street bridge to the Glazer Children’s Museum.
With a cup of coffee in hand, Robinson ’24 starts working on her tasks for the day as a marketing intern at the museum: whether it’s inputting data to target future goals for the museum, working on marketing content to showcase exhibits or assisting fellow museum team members. Each day looks a little different, but Robinson always spends the final 20 minutes of her shift hanging out with kids who are visiting the museum or talking to parents about their experience.
While Robinson spends only a few hours of her time each week at her internship, the experience has been invaluable.
“I have gained an incredible amount of experience since I started working at Glazer,” said Robinson, of McHenry, IL. “Being in a professional environment surrounded by highly educated, passionate and helpful colleagues has helped me grow both personally and professionally.”
Robinson, an international business/marketing major, is part of the Bonner Leader Program, which provides University of Tampa students with an opportunity to serve the community while gaining valuable work experience. Students in the program are placed at local nonprofit organizations at the start of their first year at UT and work for the organization nine hours a week for the entirety of their college career. Students in the program earn paid wages from UT’s work-study funding, as well as an annual $2,000 scholarship.
Morehouse Bonner Scholar Tackles Race Issues on News 6 Panel
Morehouse Bonner Scholar, Julien Serrano-O’Neil ‘21, was selected to serve as a panelist on his hometown news station, News 6 WKMG. The graduating senior represented the United Foundation of Central Florida (UFCF) and the Bonner Office of Community Service at Morehouse College and was joined by other central Florida pioneers for the Black History Month Initiative - Real Talk Town Hall Series, an effort to tackle race issues.
Northern Girl Turned Southerner: How Moments Make Your Journey An Adventure
Underprivileged. Low-income. Uneducated. These are words that I heard daily by those who didn't know my plight. I came from a home environment where my parents always encouraged me to reach higher, no matter what my skin looks like, no matter what my religion is, and no matter what my socio-economic status is. Since I was in sixth grade, I knew I wanted to attend a university because education is the key to success. Fortunately, when I learned about Michelle Obama’s Beating the Odds Summit, I was excited, curious, and thankful. I was grateful that someone who looks like me believes that all youth deserve to and should aspire to dream big in life. The summit was an opportunity that should be offered to all teenagers. Mrs. Obama encouraged us to not only grow intellectually, but to grow as human beings by enhancing our networks, reaching out to resources, and discovering our passions. I remember thinking as I left, “It’s not about your major, your extracurriculars, or about where you come from—it's about who you are as a human being and what you are capable of doing.” I left with a mindset of openness and readiness to take on the challenge of college.
Natasha Main, Bonner Scholar '16, Leads Small Business Relief Program in Colorado Springs
Leading a community relief program for small businesses devastated by a crippling pandemic was not in Natasha Main’s job description. She had plenty on her plate since becoming executive director late last year of Exponential Impact, a Colorado Springs-based, nonprofit incubator/accelerator for tech startups.
But she’s more than stepped up to the challenge, says Exponential Impact co-founder and chairman Vance Brown, who developed the Survive & Thrive relief program, which is being administered by XI. In fact, he says, “she’s crushing it.”
Singing surgeon, Oberlin Bonner Scholar Dr. Elvis Francois, Strikes Cord with Message of Hope and Joy
Dr. Elvis Francois, Oberlin Bonner Scholar Class of 2008 and surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has gone viral during the coronavirus pandemic singing such hopeful anthems as “Imagine.”
Article on NBC News Today Show
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Centre-in-Washington internship opens doors of opportunity for Stephanie Akoto Bamfo ’21
As part of Centre College’s Centre-in-Washington program, politics major, international studies minor and Bonner Scholar Stephanie Akoto Bamfo ‘21 (Lexington, Kentucky) is working for the Capitol Hill Consulting Group as a legislative intern.
Based in Washington, D.C., Capitol Hill Consulting Group is a bi-partisan government relations firm dedicated to providing comprehensive and individually tailored strategies to meet the diverse needs of their clients. They offer specialized lobbying services in tax, trade, financial services, appropriations, environment, energy, health care and aerospace, among other sectors.
“I was invested in earning this internship due to the nature of work that is done in this firm and the diverse clientele list,” Akoto Bamfo said. “I’ve been afforded the opportunity to work with clients from across the world and be the middle-man between them and members of Congress. It’s insightful to see the coordination between the private and public sectors in maintaining the interest of the American taxpayer.”