Bonner Foundation
Robert Hackett
Rutgers University New Brunswick Hosts Summer ...

The 2026 Bonner Summer Leadership Institute brought together over 350 changemakers from more than 60 colleges to explore civic engagement, social innovation, and the future of democracy on the banks of the Raritan River. Highlighting Bonner’s commitment to community‑focused learning, the week featured plenary discussions, workshops, and networking events that equipped participants with practical tools and collaborative networks to advance equity and public service on their campuses.

Rutgers University New Brunswick Hosts Summer Leadership Institute 2026
Student Profile
Robert Hackett
Rider University Senior Completes More Than ...

Madilyn McGreevy’s college journey at Rider University is defined by her extensive service as a Bonner Community Leader, where she dedicated over 2,100 hours to supporting children and families in high‑need communities. Through Bonner, she led tutoring initiatives, mentored peers, and completed an Impact Internship, experiences that have prepared her to work as an educational specialist after graduation.

Rider University Senior Completes More Than 2,100 Hours of Service Through Bonner Program
Student Profile
Robert Hackett
From the Great Lakes to the East Coast: ...

Nyrobi Whitfield ’26 has found purpose through hands-on learning beyond the classroom with Oberlin’s Center for Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA). Through early research in aquatic science and later marine ecology work, Whitfield has turned coursework into tangible climate and environmental insights. Service as a lifeguard and swim instructor, along with sustainability leadership on campus, has deepened Whitfield’s commitment to community engagement. After graduation, Whitfield plans to pursue a PhD in marine ecology and continue building a career in climate change research.

From the Great Lakes to the East Coast: Connecting Research and Service
Campus Profile, Student Profile, Staff Profile
Robert Hackett
Sewanee Bonner/Canale Program Teaches Students ...

The Bonner/Canale Program at Sewanee cultivates a community of student leaders dedicated to service and relationship-building with local organizations. Through a structured four-year experience, students engage in significant community projects, gaining skills in leadership, cultural awareness, and civic engagement while fostering trust between the university and surrounding communities.

Alumni Profile
Robert Hackett
Berry College Bonner Alum, Dr. Emily Melchior ...

Berry College, Bonner Alum, Dr. Emily Melchior (16C), has established herself as a prominent figure in animal health research, serving as the Manager of Global Outcomes Research at Zoetis Animal Health. She is recognized for her contributions to ruminant microbiology and nutrition, and she actively supports young professionals through mentorship and her involvement in various organizations.

Berry College Bonner Alum, Dr. Emily Melchior Recognized as the 2025 Outstanding Young Alum

Community-Engaged Learning Gaining Momentum in Bonner Network

Community-Engaged Learning Gaining Momentum in Bonner Network

The Bonner Foundation’s Community-Engaged Initiative is going strong in its third year. Thirty-five institutions are leveraging grants and endowment funds to integrate community-engaged learning (CEL) in a wide range of projects and programs across the campus.

More than 200 faculty members have been involved in cohorts on their campuses. These faculty have worked in collaboration with local, state, national, and international partners on courses, degrees, innovative programs, and institutionalization.

MSU Sophomore Bonner Leader, Samantha Wilk, Featured in 'The College Tour' TV Series

MSU Sophomore Bonner Leader, Samantha Wilk, Featured in 'The College Tour' TV Series

Montclair State University Bonner Leader, Samantha Wilk, was recently featured in a segment of Montclair State University’s episode on The College Tour TV series. Samantha is double majoring in Psychology and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies and minoring in Leadership through Civic Engagement and Italian. Her hometown is Flemington, New Jersey. In the segment, Samantha shares about her experience as a Bonner Leader at Montclair State University, including her community engagement work with local nonprofits and participation in the week-long service-based orientation, a signature program in the MSU Bonner Leader Program.

The College Tour is created by Emmy-nominated and multi-award-winning producers. Hosted by Alex Boylan, each episode of The College Tour tells the story of a single college through the lens of its students. From academics, housing, sports, career preparation, campus life/location and much much more. Montclair State University was recently selected to be featured on The College Tour. You can learn more and watch Montclair State University’s full episode here.

Lights, Camera, Activism: Ranee Sang '21 Rollins College Bonner Leader

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.

Bonner Community-Engaged Learning Grant Supports ‘Books with College Buddies’ at St. Cloud COP House

Bonner Community-Engaged Learning Grant Supports ‘Books with College Buddies’ at St. Cloud COP House

Anna Watt, Reagan Bos and Maria Hall all will be teachers in the not-too-distant future, and part of their training other than education coursework at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB/SJU) includes real-world exposure to potential students.

This can mean shadowing teachers in the classroom and, eventually, student teaching. These three CSB undergrads, however, are going above and beyond what is required to engage with diverse children in St. Cloud as part of a grant-sponsored “Books with College Buddies” program.

Terri Rodriguez, in her ninth year as an education professor at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s, started the program in the spring of 2021 with $3,000 in support via funding from the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation and the Optimist Club of St. Cloud.

Elizabethtown College Launching Bonner Program in Fall 2022

Elizabethtown College Launching Bonner Program in Fall 2022

Director of the Elizabethtown College Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) Javita Thompson is piloting a service leadership program for incoming first-year Etown students.

The Bonner Leader Program was started by the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation in 1990. The overarching goal is to improve relations between students and communities by bridging the gap between the basic needs of nutrition and educational opportunity.

The Bonner Leader program will become a multifaceted program that allows Etown students to gain leadership skills while performing service initiatives to improve relationships with community organizations. The program is one of many initiatives to help with the College’s strategic plan, specifically the theme of “inclusive excellence.”

New ASPPH Report Highlights Bonner Alumni Enrollment into Public Health Graduate Schools and Programs

New ASPPH Report Highlights Bonner Alumni Enrollment into Public Health Graduate Schools and Programs

Over the years, the Bonner Foundation has developed partnerships with over 20 graduate schools across the nation committed to supporting diverse, low-income, first-generation students. Bonner’s graduate school partners span a diverse array of academic disciplines and professional studies, from law to public health. Through mutually beneficial relationships between partner organizations and our network, we provide greater opportunity for social mobility to deserving students throughout the nation.

Bonner students and alumni receive financial assistance, such as application fee waivers and partial- or full-tuition scholarships to alleviate the economic barriers to pursuing a graduate degree. The majority of Bonner’s graduate school partners offer an application fee waiver and scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 annually. For more specifics on Bonner graduate school partnership benefits, please visit: http://www.bonner.org/graduate-school.

Nathan Hand, DePauw '03, Lending Help to Worthy Causes

Nathan Hand, DePauw '03, Lending Help to Worthy Causes

He grew up in a service-oriented family, undertook activities required to become an Eagle Scout, won Bonner and Holton scholarships at DePauw for service and coveted a life of helping others.

But Nathan Hand ’03 wasn’t convinced he could make a career in philanthropy, at least not one that would enable him to comfortably raise a family and have the earning potential that his peers pursuing more lucrative fields would enjoy.

He thought about becoming a patent attorney. Or going into biology. He spent time pursing education studies, then geology. He ultimately landed on a communication major and political science minor, and undertook enough internships, volunteer opportunities and extracurricular experiences to persuade himself that working in nonprofits would bring him joy and a comfortable life, if not necessarily riches.

“I just felt like there was an urgency there to get my career started, but also explore as many different causes as possible to find what I liked,” he said. “I needed to prove to myself that I could make a living doing this, the idea of volunteering and nonprofit service. It’s a big shift to go from a fun side hobby … to want to make a career out of this.”

Mountain Mover: Roman Rojas, '21 Mars Hill University Bonner Scholar

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.

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9 Bonners Selected for 2022-23 Newman Civic Fellowship

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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.

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Connections Through Healthcare: Olivia Pelaez '21 Davidson College

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Connections Through Healthcare: Olivia Pelaez '21 Davidson College

Today, Pelaez, a Davidson Bonner Scholar, works at the Charlotte Community Health Clinic, bringing healthcare, testing and more to low income and underinsured populations in Charlotte, as she prepares to apply to physician assistant programs.

Guilford College Spotlights Bonner Scholar Ben James ’22

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.

Study Finds Spike in Pediatric Firearm Injuries During Pandemic

Study Finds Spike in Pediatric Firearm Injuries During Pandemic

Davidson College Bonner alumnus, Xzavier Killings’ 16 and other researchers have found spikes in firearm injuries sustained by and inflicted by children during the pandemic, a time when gun sales to first-time owners also were rising. Increased rates of firearm ownership, school closures, and a suspected decrease in supervision during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic place young children at increased risk of firearm injuries. They measured trends in firearm injuries in children and inflicted by children discharging a firearm during the pandemic and correlated these changes with a rise in firearm acquisition.

Carnegie Community Engagement Classification 2024 Launched

Carnegie Community Engagement Classification 2024 Launched

The Carnegie Community Engagement Classification central office announces that the first time and re-classification applications for the 2024 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement are now available on GivePulse. Interested campuses must initiate an application by October 31, 2022. The deadline to submit an application is May 1, 2023. Click on the GivePulse logo to access the application portal.

Bonner Alumna Announce as United Foundation of Central Florida New Board Member & A Bonner Student is One of Five New Junior Board Members

Bonner Alumna Announce as United Foundation of Central Florida New Board Member & A Bonner Student is One of Five New Junior Board Members

United Foundation of Central Florida is pleased to announce on its Eight Year Anniversary the appointment of one new board member, Nadia Oakley, and five new junior board members, Nerstafara Emilzo, Melissa Monde, Shannon Biassou, Christie St. Vil, and Gardyson Etienn

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Charleston Area Urban League Features Kaytlin Brown '23

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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.

Jack Kelly, Stetson '11: Tracking Illicit Nuclear Material In Europe

Jack Kelly, Stetson '11: Tracking Illicit Nuclear Material In Europe

It sounds like the makings for a Hollywood action movie:

Good Guy wonders where all the missing bits of nuclear material have gone. He joins a think tank in Europe to learn how to stop the bad guys from getting their hands on it. He brings back everything he’s learned to the U.S. and saves the day!

But this isn’t a Hollywood movie. It’s reality for Stetson University Bonner alumnus Jack Kelly ’11.

Madison County School honored Bonner alum as principal of the year at school board meeting

Madison County School honored Bonner alum as principal of the year at school board meeting

Mars Hill University alum, Marshay Huskins '01, was honored as Madison County principal of the year. Ms. Huskins plays a crucial role in the success of our district. She is always a strong voice on our district leadership team. One of the most powerful components that Ms. Huskins exhibits is her knowledge and research around teaching to trauma and poverty.

Albion College Community Collaborative Featured as Model for Post-Covid Engagement

Albion College Community Collaborative Featured as Model for Post-Covid Engagement

Albion College’s Community Collaborative (AC3) is featured in this Inside Higher Ed column by Vicki L. Baker titled “Reimagining Community Engagement for a Post-COVID World.” The article “offers four lessons that colleges should consider in developing these partnerships and programs.”