A. Student Development Goals
2. Two Perspectives

The Five E's

The advantage of the Bonner Program is that it offers the opportunity to work with a group of students who for four years can afford to spend 10 hours a week during the school year (and more in the summers) in service and leadership activities. The challenge is to marshal campus and community resources to support a deliberate model for cultivating principles of leadership, service, and democratic citizenry.

The Bonner Program approaches the student holistically and considers the variety of factors that influence his or her development. As a result, the developmental model aligns itself to this tiered undergraduate curricular experience. This alignment can be difficult to maintain in many instances because students have different life experiences, ages, maturity levels, and aptitudes that come to expression at different times than their peers and do not necessarily correlate with the often restrictive and linear notions of the four year undergraduate experience. However, as a campus-based program structurally congruent with the undergraduate experience, we seek to integrate the existing four-year calendar for the benefit of the student where possible.

The Bonner Program expects students to build upon their current competency and skill sets and move closer towards our overall program benchmarks and student development goals. We recognize that not every student will reach all of these benchmarks. Nevertheless, it is useful to examine regularly the students’ progress so that by the time they leave the program they find themselves in the later stages of this model.
The Foundation has used the following four-year developmental model to help campuses conceptualize their own models and strategies for implementation:

“Expectation” (the preparation stage before entering college)
Identify qualified students who have assumed a leadership role within their community or at home and distribute applications posing meaningful questions which seek to understand students’ motivation, background, experience, and expectations. Utilize a selection committee comprised of students, faculty, administrators, and community leaders to evaluate the appropriateness of candidates for the Bonner Program. They should base their selection on specific and comprehensive criteria utilizing the student’s application materials and an interview. Once accepted to the program, current Bonner Scholars should be on hand to address any questions or concerns they may have. Returning Bonner Scholars may assume the task of corresponding over the summer, enhancing communal spirit and continued encouragement. Also, consider organizing supplemental campus visits to help familiarize students with procedures and program expectations.

“Exploration” (Freshman Year)
In the freshman year, new Bonner Scholars should be oriented in areas such as personal identity, the local and at-large community, and program’s administrative and service issues. By utilizing reflection, weekend service plunges, alternative breaks, self-assessment tools, and feedback strategies, you can assist the student in making personal discoveries and developing both individual and collective goals and objectives.

“Experience” (Sophomore Year)
In the sophomore year, a student usually finds a stable role within an organization and chooses to focus his or her efforts on a single project or issue area. They should be supported with relevant trainings that are tailored to their increased responsibilities. At this time, critical dialogue and reflection helps students focus on articulating their views about service and commitment to others. The student should be asked to determine whether or not the next levels of commitment required in the program are aligned with their own personal and vocational goals and decide if they are up to the challenges of the next few years. During the summer, students typically seek internships located inside their local community. The goal of this year is to assist the student in understanding how to participate effectively in a sustained community partnership and move from a dabbler to an integral part of the site’s operations.

“Example” (Junior Year)
Students in their third year should begin assuming Project Coordinator responsibilities such as recruiting, placing, monitoring, and leading reflections for other student volunteers. Because of the heavy coordinating role, trainings for these students should assist them in becoming a successful peer and community leader. During the third and final summer, students should be encouraged to seek internships located outside of their local community to broaden their experience and sense of community

“Excellence” (Senior Year)
Students who progress to this stage are prepared to assume Project Leader responsibilities, including evaluating existing programs, designing new initiatives, and drafting grant proposals. In many ways, the fourth year student’s relationship to the community partner is similar to that of a staff member, consultant, or apprentice who can assist the agency in strategic planning and implementation, financial management, grant writing, research report writing, special projects. It is not a time for students to disengage or remain in the status quo because they are about to graduate. Rather the students should be challenged to demonstrate a sense of renewed commitment so they finish out the program stronger than they started. It is also important to recognize that these students are entering a major transition phase where they will be entering the world of work or graduate school. One resource they should be made aware of is the Bonner Alumni Network that will be available to them after graduation.