Alumni Profile
Robert Hackett
Spelman College Bonner Alum, Dr. Maranda C. ...

Maranda C. Ward, Ed.D., MPH, Spelman College Bonner Scholar ‘02 Alum has been awarded Campus Compact’s Ernest A. Lynton Award for the Scholarship of Engagement. Dr. Ward is the assistant professor and director of the Equity Department of Clinical Research and Leadership at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Spelman College Bonner Alum, Dr. Maranda C. Ward, Awarded The Ernest A. Lynton Award for the Scholarship of Engagement
Campus Profile
Robert Hackett
A Banner Year for Bonners: TCNJ Bonner Program ...

TCNJ’s Bonner Community Scholars Program launched 20 years ago, it started with just 12 Bonner Scholars — students who commit to 300 hours of community service annually in exchange for needs-based scholarships. Now, with close to 100 participants each year, the TCNJ program is one of the largest and most successful in a nationwide network of Bonner college programs.

A Banner Year for Bonners: TCNJ Bonner Program Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Staff Profile
Robert Hackett
From the Heart of The Bonner Foundation: Elaine ...

In celebration of Elaine Wheeler's retirement, we honor her invaluable contribution to the Bonner Foundation. Her commitment and mentorship have been instrumental in our growth as a Foundation and the Network we have today. As she embarks on her retirement, we celebrate her legacy of dedication and look forward to the path she has paved for us.

From the Heart of The Bonner Foundation: Elaine Wheeler's Retirement Celebration
Robert Hackett
Announcing the Refreshed Bonner Wiki

With over three decades sharing campus examples, guides, and documents to download, the Bonner Foundation is excited to announce a recently updated Bonner Resources Wiki.

This summer, the five National Bonner Summer Interns at the Foundation — Anu Baskar (George Mason ‘24), Camila Guayasamin (The College of New Jersey ‘24), Dominique Dore (University of Houston ‘22), Mikaela Chin (High Point University ‘24) and Selah Ndouta (Capital University ‘22) — worked with the Foundation staff to refresh the look of the wiki’s homepage and, more importantly, update campus examples and other documents.

They devoted particularly attention to the Bonner Program Management and Community-Engaged Learning sections. In addition, Mikaela and Dominique also created a short video on how to navigate this wealth of knowledge.

Announcing the Refreshed Bonner Wiki

Bonner Summer Service in France Launched Teaching Career

Bonner Summer Service in France Launched Teaching Career

This 2009 graduate is grateful to the Bonner Scholars program for the chance to first study abroad.

Lindsay Pulfer Langett teaches French at Jefferson-Forest High School in Bedford County, teaching French II, III, IV and AP classes “while advocating for the cultural importance of language study in a secondary language.” 

“My experience at Emory & Henry, especially as a Bonner scholar, prepared me for my future career and adult life. Volunteering taught me the importance of interacting with the community.  With the assistance of Bonner, I was able to go to France for the first time the summer after my Freshman year to do volunteer work. This opened my eyes to international travel and led me toward study abroad. When I was ready to take on that adventure, administration permitted me to personalize my own experience by allowing me to choose my own study abroad program and provided me with the accommodations that I needed. Upon returning to campus, my education classes and student teaching experience were instrumental in preparing me for my career. I am forever grateful for Emory & Henry!”

Peace Corps Next Adventure for Two Lynchburg Bonners

Peace Corps Next Adventure for Two Lynchburg Bonners

Each year, the Peace Corps receives 18,000 applications and accepts only 4,000 people for service positions abroad. This year, three of the 4,000 volunteers fulfilling their passions for humanitarian work are soon-to-be University of Lynchburg alumni.

Two of the Lynchburg alumni are Bonner Leaders. International relations and Spanish major Hannah Wolf ’19 will join the Peace Corps’ education program and Biomedical science major Dakota Shepherd ’19 will join the health program as a community health promoter in Sierra Leone. A third Lynchburg alum, French major Caitlin Tolley ’19 . Woll, will be stationed in Rwanda with an education program.

Richmond Bonner Explores Mentoring in Art Exhibition

Richmond Bonner Explores Mentoring in Art Exhibition

A new art exhibition, envisioned by University of Richmond senior Nicole Benites, will open at UR Downtown this Friday, April 5.

The Faces of Mentoring explores the meaningful relationships formed between mentors and mentees. Curated by Benites, a Bonner Scholar who has interned with Virginia Mentoring Partnership since her first year at the University, the exhibition is an open invitation to the community to learn more about mentoring programs in Richmond.

“I have mentored and been mentored throughout my college career, and I truly believe it can change someone’s life,” said Benites. “I wanted to combine my passion for art and civic engagement in a way that would connect our community in a unique way, while providing a platform that would inspire others to become engaged as well.”

Sewanee Bonner Making Haste with Waste

Sewanee Bonner Making Haste with Waste

While you might get squeamish at the thought of maggots working their way through a mountain of discarded food waste, Chris Hornsby, C’19, has spent four years studying the process, and he’s here to tell you that it’s more appealing than abhorrent, more captivating than creepy, more engrossing than gross.

With a background in engineering and environmental studies, Hornsby has been working with the University Farm to develop an innovative composting prototype that has the potential to change the landscape of waste-management systems far beyond the Mountain. And he hopes to make the work of his maggots—specifically black soldier fly larvae—as approachable and actionable as recycling currently is.

“I know I have a bias because of my work, but I think they’re one of the cutest bugs I’ve ever come across,” Hornsby says. “They’re really intriguing creatures.”

Black soldier fly larvae have been at the forefront of Hornsby’s work since he arrived on campus. As a freshman, he applied to the Bonner Leader program, a four-year leadership and community service internship program. In addition to taking a series of skill-building workshops, “Bonners,” as the student program participants are known on campus, are partnered with community service organizations to increase the organizations’ capacity to do their work. Having recently developed an interest in agriculture, Hornsby chose to work with the University Farm, part of the Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability.

Davidson Bonner Serves in Dominican Republic

Davidson Bonner Serves in Dominican Republic

The Princeton in Latin American Fellowship connects recent college graduates with one-year, service-oriented positions at nonprofit and community-based service organizations in Latin America. The fellowship is designed to promote education, leadership, and engagement within communities all throughout Latin America. Elizabeth Prosser, a current Princeton in Latin America Fellow based in the Dominican Republic, shared her experience in the program and gives some application tips.

Elizabeth Prosser recently graduated from Davidson College with a B.A. in Hispanic Studies with a minor in Francophone Studies.  Over the course of her college career, she held multiple internships and service positions aligning with her passions for education reform, nonprofit work, Spanish, and international relations. She now explores her love for these subjects through a Princeton in Latin America Fellowship, working as the Operations and Development Fellow at Yspaniola, an education-based nonprofit in the Dominican Republic. Afterwards, she will pursue a Master’s in Latin American Studies at Stanford University in order to gain a more holistic understanding of Latin America and its history, culture, and challenges.

Read full story here.

Morehouse Bonner Scholar River Lewis benefited from ‘mentors who looked like me’

Morehouse Bonner Scholar River Lewis benefited from ‘mentors who looked like me’

Excerpt from Salisbury Post, January 20, 2010

By Maggie Blackwell

“Morehouse gave me what I’d subconsciously craved from childhood: positive relationships with mentors who looked like me,” says River Lewis, a 22-year old recent graduate of the Atlanta college.

River is tall and lanky, and moves with ease and grace. Although he’s inclined to hug someone he meets, his handshake is strong and he has a direct gaze. His braided hair is carefully coifed atop his head like a crown.

He’s working now to provide the same mentorship he received to young men who also look like him. Through his non-profit he is matching minority business leaders with at-risk boys from Salisbury and Atlanta.

Twelve Bonners Named 2019-20 Newman Civic Fellows

Twelve Bonners Named 2019-20 Newman Civic Fellows

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.

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Macalester Bonner Alum Presents Findings on Capitol Hill

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Macalester Bonner Alum Presents Findings on Capitol Hill

The 25th Class of Emerson National Hunger Fellows gathered at Rayburn House Office Building on Thursday, February 28, to present their findings from their six months spent working to end hunger with local organizations in communities across the U.S.

Chesterfield Polkey, a 2018 Bonner alum from Macalester College, is a member of this year’s Emerson National Hunger Fellows. He served the first half of his fellowship at Just Harvest, a local community organization in Pittsburgh, PA.

Spelman Bonner Scholar Among Inaugural Minority Entrepreneur Fellows from HBCUs

Spelman Bonner Scholar Among Inaugural Minority Entrepreneur Fellows from HBCUs

ATLANTA (February 18, 2019) – A Spelman College student is part of an inaugural cohort of fellows in a program that aims to increase minority entrepreneurs from historically Black colleges and universities.

Destinee Filmore, C’2021, is among the 25-member cohort of the Mary Ellen Pleasant Entrepreneur Fellowship program. The MEPE Fellowship, an outgrowth of a partnership between The Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions and minority-owned recruiting marketing platform, The Whether, is part of a $775,000 Innovations in Career Advising grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“These types of learning opportunities contribute to the transformational experiences that shape the lives of Spelman students,” said Darryl Holloman, Ph.D., vice president for student affairs.  “Destinee’s selection aligns with Spelman’s efforts to train innovative change agents who, in turn, have a positive impact on the world. We are proud of Destinee for this accomplishment.”

TCNJ Bonners' "The Streetlight" Wins NJ Journalism Prize

TCNJ Bonners' "The Streetlight" Wins NJ Journalism Prize

The Streetlight, published by TCNJ students with and for people experiencing homelessness in and around Trenton, won first place in the 2019 NJ News Commons Excellence in Local News competition.

“Community engagement was at the core of Streetlight reporting in 2018, from profiles about local soup kitchens and community organizations to interviews with residents who have experienced homelessness to an investigation into severe weather closings at the Trenton Free Public Library,” according to the Center for Cooperative Media announcement.

“They also held editorial review board meetings, where representatives from local organizations such as the Trenton area soup kitchen and the mercer alliance to end homelessness reviewed our articles and collaborated with their newsroom to suggest future story ideas. One such story focused on a father and son who reunited at the rescue mission of Trenton after 24 years, a story that came from discussions with community partners and local residents.”

Tusculum Recognized for 2018 Voter Registration

Tusculum Recognized for 2018 Voter Registration

Facing a lecture hall full of Tusculum University students, Tre Hargett, Tennessee’s secretary of state, told them that someday one of them might be governor, a U.S. senator or the nation’s president.

If that is going to happen, he said, it is important they prepare themselves for this opportunity and participate in the electoral process. He encouraged students to not only register to vote but then to go to the polls and cast votes that reflect their views.

“Don’t vote my values and don’t vote the way you believe that I think you should vote,” Hargett said. “Vote the way that you believe you should vote based on your values and your principles. And don’t just accept what you see in 280 characters on Twitter or what’s a liked post on Instagram. Do your own research and vote the way you believe you should.”

Hargett was at Tusculum’s Meen Center Thursday, Jan. 24, to recognize the university as one of three winners in the 2018 Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition. He presented an award to Hanna Johnson and (Bonner Leader) Carmyn Tassone, two sophomores who led a voter registration drive in the fall. Joining them for the presentation were state Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown, and state Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville, who represent Tusculum in the state Legislature.

New Graduate School Partnership with UVA's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy

The Bonner Foundation is pleased to announced a new graduate school partnership with University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.

UVA's Batten School at a glance:

  • As part of the University of Virginia, Batten students enjoy the resources and network of a university that is consistently ranked as one of the top three public schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. 

  • Of the 250-plus schools of public policy and administration in the U.S., the Batten School has the distinction of being the only one explicitly committed to teaching leadership—how it works, why context matters in decision-making and which actions lead to tangible results.

  • Graduates of the Batten School are in high demand. They’re recruited aggressively by government agencies, from the intelligence community to Congress, local interest groups and NGOs, and by private-sector employers from consulting firms to investment-risk analysts.

“The Batten School was created to educate and train the next generation of inspired policy leaders. To advance that mission, we felt that we needed to be more proactive in building relationships with institutions with high-caliber potential applicants, those we believe will thrive not only at Batten, but will be leaders of consequence in the policy world in the long run,” said Jeff Chidester, Batten Executive Director of External Affairs. “And in the aggregate, this effort will help us build the kind of diverse applicant pool we value as a school.”

The Bonner/Batten Partnership encourages current or former Bonner Scholars and Bonner Leaders interested in pursuing graduate education in leadership and public policy to apply to the Batten MPP. The Batten School will provide an application fee waiver for all Bonner Scholars and Bonner Leaders, and for those accepted into the program, a minimum guaranteed fellowship of $10,000/year for Virginia residents and $17,500/year for non-Virginia residents in each of the MPP program’s two years. 

Learn more about Batten's MPP program here. 

Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa, '03 Davidson College Game Changer

Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa, ‘03, Bonner Scholar alum is profiled on Davidson College’s website as a “game changer: inspiring leaders to transform the world.”

“As a Bonner Scholar, I did a community service project per semester and read a lot on the subject of service. The process required lots of self-analysis – finding a cause, a purpose. It was very objective – who are you as a person, what are your skills, what can you do?”
— https://gamechangers.davidson.edu/people/jacqueline-muna-musiitwa-03/

Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa, Esq. is the Executive Director of Financial Sector Deepening Uganda.  She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Hoja Law Group, a boutique legal consultancy that represents clients in corporate governance, commercial and public law matters.   Jacqueline served as Legal Counsel and Assistant to the CEO and President of the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (PTA Bank) and Chief Legal and Investor Relations at Microcred Africa. She was also an advisor to the Director General of the World Trade Organization on matters of trade, economic integration and global governance and has been an Advisor to several African governments on matters related to trade, investment and energy.

“A game changers are people who dare to do things differently, to take risks, because of the change they want to see in society. They want to change minds, and change the way things are done, and they are willing to risk speaking truth to power.” “When I think of game changers traditionally, I think of Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela – but increasingly, the game changers I see and deal with are young entrepreneurs, mostly in the tech space, seeking solutions to critical problems within this society. They’re coming up with mobile apps to help farmers in agriculture, finding ways to aggregate data in order to advise policymakers, developing mobile apps that serve as payment systems. From my perspective, these game changers are younger and not necessarily putting themselves at risk, but they’re doing innovative things to solve social problems.” 

Read her full profile here on Davidson College’s website.



Students Making Change: Bonner Alicia Jiggetts on Compact Nation Podcast

Students Making Change: Bonner Alicia Jiggetts on Compact Nation Podcast

Alicia Jiggetts, a 2019 Bonner Scholar at the University of Richmond, was interviewed in this episode of the Compact Nation Podcast, along with Veronica Fernandez-Diaz.

Alicia and Veronica are two Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellows who were visiting the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate in Boston as part of the annual convening of Newman Civic Fellows.

Senior Bonner Raises Awareness for Youth Justice Reforms

Senior Bonner Raises Awareness for Youth Justice Reforms

Benedict Roemer, ’19, is passionate about affecting social change. So when the opportunity to raise awareness for issues like mass incarceration and the racial wealth gap as an intern at Campaign for Youth Justice opened up, Roemer went for it.

Roemer, a double major in leadership studies and philosophy, politics, economics, and law, first encountered Campaign for Youth Justice at the Active Citizens Conference, which he attended as part of the Bonner Scholars Sophomore Exchange Program. After the conference, he stayed in touch with the organization through weekly emails and continued to engage with youth justice through the nonprofit ART 180, which provides arts programming for Richmond youth in juvenile detention.

Centre Bonner Scholar Organizes Hunger & Homelessness Week

Centre Bonner Scholar Organizes Hunger & Homelessness Week

The Centre College community will hold its annual Poverty and Homelessness Week, Nov. 10-17, to help bring awareness and combat these issues on a local and state level, with a focus on Eastern Kentucky.

The initiative is a culmination of work and collaboration between Centre and various communities that the campus engages with as an institution.

“Each year, the week is structured differently depending on that year’s focus and allows for flexibility when addressing issues of poverty and homelessness, which are incredibly intersectional and complex,” Hannah Gibbs ’19 said. “On a more personal note, I see the week as a chance for our campus community to engage with our own values of servant leadership and global citizenship on an accessible scale for students, faculty and staff.”

Read full story here and see website here.

Zero Hunger Internship Pilot Cohort Reflects on Internships

Zero Hunger Internship Pilot Cohort Reflects on Internships

October 29, 2018 - from Congressional Hunger Center Blog

This summer, four Bonner students traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the pilot cohort of the Zero Hunger Internship Program, a new initiative developed by the Congressional Hunger Center and the Bonner Foundation.

Leveraging the Congressional Hunger Center’s policy education and leadership development expertise and the Bonner Foundation’s extensive network of service-focused leaders, the program gives students in the Bonner network an opportunity to learn about federal anti-hunger policy and gain firsthand experience working with nationally-focused organizations. After the internship, these student leaders bring back their new anti-hunger advocacy skills to their campus communities.

Waynesburg Launches Center for Corporate Social Responsibility

Waynesburg Launches Center for Corporate Social Responsibility

Chevron and Waynesburg University announced today the launch of the Chevron Center for Corporate Social Responsibility at Waynesburg University, a first-of-its-kind center in the region. The center was made possible through a $250,000 commitment from Chevron.

During a press event hosted by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, representatives from Chevron and Waynesburg University shared their excitement about the partnership and provided an overview of the center’s programming.

Our partnership with Waynesburg University underscores our belief that the best way to support the region, now and for decades to come, is to work with community partners to achieve shared goals.”

-Trip Oliver, manager of policy, government and public affairs for Chevron Appalachia

The center will seek to build a network of professionals in the region, encompassing all of southwestern Pennsylvania, and will be dedicated to sharing best practices in corporate social responsibility (CSR) work. As a membership organization, valuable resources will be shared with members to build strong and more valuable CSR programs.

Centre College Partners in Service at Grace Café

Centre College Partners in Service at Grace Café

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.”

For Bonners at Brown, a deep dive into community engagement

For Bonners at Brown, a deep dive into community engagement

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Rainbow Chen, a second-year student at Brown, leads a group of high school students up and down Broad Street in Providence's South Side, a low-income, majority Hispanic neighborhood. They’re in search of local residents willing to be interviewed about living here for a project called “Humans of Providence,” which strives to unearth stories of people who traditionally have not been represented in narratives about living in the city.

So far, no takers — yet Chen and her fellow students are undaunted. They continue their search, sharing an easy camaraderie as they wander down the street. It’s obvious they’ve spent a lot of time together.

“This is not just a job for me,” Chen said. “I am so lucky that I get to spend time with these youth who are going to make such a big difference in the world.”