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.”

Since its inception in 2015, Centre College students have been actively involved in the local “pay-as-you-can,” non-profit organization Grace Café. Today, Bonner Scholar Anna Bushong ‘21 stands as the youngest member to be inducted to the café’s board of directors.

She joins efforts with recent Centre graduate Margaux Crider ‘18, who servers as the café’s community outreach coordinator.

In her first year at the College, Bushong began working with Grace Café as her primary service site to fulfill her Bonner service hours. Committed to the mission of the café, she extended her work there through a summer internship, which led to the opportunity to serve as the Centre representative on the organization’s board of directors.  

“Anna brings a bright energy and presence to the café,” said Crider. “She has been a reliable and dedicated worker since the beginning. She is a humble leader, likely unaware of how much she inspires others.”

Part of the prestigious Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) internship program, Shelby Boyd ’18, a Bonner Scholar, worked with a statewide organization called Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC) this summer.

The grassroots organization, with 10,000 members across Kentucky, aims to empower individuals to affect change, focusing on tax justice, environmental issues, healthcare and affordable housing, among other challenges.

As a community organizing intern, Boyd spent her time coordinating member meetings, training in tax justice and communication and planning events, specifically the fourth annual Smoketown Getdown for Democracy to celebrate Louisville’s Smoketown neighborhood.

When first-generation college graduate Dustin Bruner ’16 started his career at Centre College, he had a concrete idea of where his life was headed. But by the time he received his Centre diploma after graduating in May, his life—and his interests—had changed drastically.

Bruner had every intention of pursuing pre-med studies to become a doctor when he enrolled at Centre. But the variety of classes he took began to change his mind.

For the ninth year in a row, rising first-year Centre College Bonner students visited Caretta, W. Va., for an annual service trip. While helping to improve living conditions in the town during their June visit, the new Bonner Scholars joined the impressive group of more than 85% of Centre students who volunteer on a regular basis.

Centre’s Bonner Program is a network of 60 students on campus (and thousands nationwide) dedicated to alleviating poverty and improving education through active community service and civic engagement. For Director of Community Service and the Bonner Program Matthew Klooster, the first-year summer experience is also an important opportunity for student growth.

While Centre students may be known for studying across the country and the globe, this summer, Britany Neal ’15 and Rebecca Kelly ’15 traveled to teach instead. Their pupils were not the only ones learning lessons—both women gained valuable career experience and inspiration as well.

Jeri Howell, a Spanish major at Centre College, is spending her summer getting to know some of these workers through an internship at the Backside Learning Center (BLC), a non-profit organization created to enhance the lives of backside workers at Churchill Downs through education, life skill resources and community-building.