On Saturday, October 5th, 2024, the Bonner Program celebrated 25 years at Centre College. As part of the college’s 2024 homecoming schedule, the Office of Civic & Community Engagement and the Bonner Program staff, Jessie Weasner, Director, Nathan Whitlock, Assistant Director, and Caitlyn Barnes, Coordinator, alongside Bonner students, organized an anniversary event to celebrate amongst alumni, current students, former staff, and friends of the Bonner Program.
The event was held over brunch and included remarks by Liz Brandt, 2015 Centre Bonner Alum, former staff, and current Director of Community Engagement at the national Bonner Foundation and a video message from staff at Big Creek People in Action, the program’s 15+ year community partner for their Bonner First-Year Trip in Caretta, WV.
“It was an honor to be invited to attend the 25 year Bonner anniversary event at Centre College’s homecoming. I’ve had the pleasure of being part of over half of that history – as a student, former staff, and in my current role at the national Bonner Foundation. The program had a tremendous influence on my life. It is a privilege to support and celebrate its continued impact on students, the college, and community partners.” – Liz Brandt ‘15, Director of Community Engagement at the Bonner Foundation
Former President John Roush, helped forge the partnership with the Bonner Foundation that brought the Bonner Program to Centre College in 1999. Ann Young, Assistant Dean for Student Well-Being and 30-year veteran of the Student Life staff, was the program’s first director. Young was among the attendees of the 25th anniversary event.
Thanks to Kayla Rogers ‘25, Centre Bonner Alumni Ambassador, for finding this newspaper clipping announcing the start of Bonner Program at Centre College in 1999.
The program continues to play an important role for Centre College to increase access to higher education for low-income students coupled with an opportunity to serve. Since its inception the Bonner Program has helped approximately 375 students attend Centre College and participate in a robust, developmental community engagement program.
Bonner students gain valuable skills, knowledge, and opportunities to engage with the local community in ways that reinforce reciprocity, mutuality, and sustainability. Integral to the Bonner model is that it provides a cohort with a common purpose – a community of diverse, first-generation, low-income students committed to making positive change in the world.
After graduating, Centre Bonner students continue to be change-makers in their communities. Whether through their jobs or personal lives, Centre Bonner alumni leverage their training and experiences to be civically engaged across a variety of sectors and communities. Centre Bonner alumni are policymakers, educators, philanthropists, lawyers, doctors, and much more.
“Our Centre College Bonners are an inspiring group of students who dedicate themselves to improving our local community. It was incredibly meaningful to get to connect with many of our alumni and hear about how this program impacted their lives and the ways in which they continue to engage with their communities through service, civic engagement and social justice work.” – Jessie Weasner, Director of the Bonner Program and Civic & Community Engagement at Centre College
Photography by Sarah Marks ‘25, Bonner Scholar at Centre College.