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
Alumni Profile
Robert Hackett
Davidson College Bonner Alum, Hannah Lieberman, ...

Davidson College, Bonner Scholar, Hannah Lieberman ’18 wrote, directed and performed Hysterical, a one-woman comedy musical exploring topics of relationships, identity and her family’s history of inherited ovarian cancer. Her hustling brought her to QED, a small arts venue in Astoria, Queens, New York, and, for at least the last decade, the only woman-owned and operated venue in the area.

Davidson College Bonner Alum, Hannah Lieberman, Gets Whirlwind Start in the NYC Comedy Scene
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

Our Commitment to Racial Justice

Our Commitment to Racial Justice

I am proud to share Tony Richardson’s eloquent and persuasive response to the Supreme Court's decision to end race-based Affirmative Action in college admissions. Tony is a 2005 Bonner Scholar alum from Oberlin College and a member of the Bonner Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is also the President of the Gund Foundation based in Cleveland, Ohio.

As Tony says, “diversity is our superpower.” It is one of the Common Commitments of the Bonner Program for a reason. The Supreme Court’s decision challenges us all to re-double our efforts to live up to our motto “access to education, opportunity to serve.” This will take creativity, persistence, and collective action with new and old partners alike. And it will take leaders like Tony to help guide us on that journey to achieving the diversity and inclusion which are at the heart of the Bonner Program’s goals an experience.

Montclair State University Hosts 2023 Summer Leadership Institute

Montclair State University Hosts 2023 Summer Leadership Institute

More than 300 students, staff, and faculty members from 55 colleges and universities within the Bonner Network attended the 2023 Bonner Summer Leadership Institute hosted at Montclair State University from May 31 to June 3, 2023.

The theme for the conference was "Together Towards Tomorrow: Juntos Lo Logramos.” These words celebrate the abilities and strengths of the Bonner community in service, community engagement, and social justice. The theme highlights the idea that we have connection and community through a network of colleagues, alumni, and professionals. As the Bonner national network, we can work together to build a better and more equitable future for the hundreds of communities we serve. This theme also emphasizes the importance of interdependence and diversity.

Amir Staten's Morehouse Bonner Scholarship Acceptance Goes Viral

Amir Staten's Morehouse Bonner Scholarship Acceptance Goes Viral

Amir Staten, 17, of Philadelphia gained national attention in February when he sprinted down a street, crying and yelling in joy after learning he was accepted into Morehouse College, an all-male historically black university in Atlanta.

A few months later, the soon-to-be high school graduate learned that he had also earned a four-year, full-ride Bonner Scholarship to Morehouse.

Four Bonners Selected as the 2023 Bonner Foundation National Summer Interns

Four Bonners Selected as the 2023 Bonner Foundation National Summer Interns

The Bonner Foundation welcomes four exceptional 2023 Bonner summer interns who will work on Bonner curriculum development, resource development for strategic communications, and researching models for career pathways and connections. The interns will collaborate with Bonner Foundation staff members across different projects and support the 2023 Summer Leadership Institute. Their full bios can be found on the Bonner Foundation staff page.

Stephen Omukoko Okoth, Oberlin '25, Selected as Earth Prize Mentor of the Year.

Stephen Omukoko Okoth, Oberlin '25, Selected as Earth Prize Mentor of the Year.

Stephen Omukoko Okoth, Oberlin Bonner Scholar Class of 2025, was selected as one of three Earth Prize Mentors of the Year. The Earth Prize recognizes the students and schools with the best solutions to accelerate positive change towards environmental sustainability, as judged by The Earth Prize Adjudicating Panel. The Earth Prize 2023 will now recognize three Mentors with The Earth Prize Mentor of the Year award, as voted by the competition’s Participants.

Oberlin Bonner Scholar Sadie Owens '23 From Classroom to Community (and Back Again)

Oberlin Bonner Scholar Sadie Owens '23 From Classroom to Community (and Back Again)

Sadie Owens is a Bonner Scholar who has contributed significantly to community service projects at school. She discusses how the Bonner program has allowed her to explore her academic and professional interests while impacting the community positively. She praises the diverse Oberlin community for its ideas, insights, and specialized knowledge.

Owens also reflects on the unique and close-knit Bonner Scholar community, fostering intimate conversations and relationships. She fondly remembers the All-Bonner Retreat, where she and others reflected on their growth and development at Oberlin.

Overall, Owens' experiences demonstrate the power of community service to shape individuals' academic and personal growth.

14 Bonners Selected for the 2023-24 Newman Civic Fellowship

14 Bonners Selected for the 2023-24 Newman Civic Fellowship

The Newman Civic Fellowship supports college students who are committed to their communities and creating social change. Nominated by their president or chancellor, fellows receive training and resources through the yearlong program. This includes virtual learning opportunities, networking, and an optional in-person convening. The fellowship is named after Campus Compact founder Frank Newman and is a key part of their mission to build a national network of engaged student leaders who can create partnerships between campuses and communities. The 2023-2024 Nominated Newman Civic Fellows are: Aaliyah Moore ‘24, Angel Young ‘24, Aylon Gipson ‘23, Halle Gensler ‘25, Lauren Funke ‘24, and Paul Nguyen ‘25.

Centre College hosted state-wide Bonner Sophomore Exchange, focused on local African American History

Centre College hosted state-wide Bonner Sophomore Exchange, focused on local African American History

Centre College’s Bonner Program wanted to focus its yearly service exchange project on something that visiting Bonner students from other schools could take back to their communities. Centre Bonner students worked with community partners to meet that goal — and participating students said it made for an impactful weekend. Bonner students from Lindsey Wilson College, Kentucky Wesleyan College and Berea College were all in attendance.

The exchange weekend provided Bonner students from across the state a chance to learn from the work and experiences of their peers, as well as instructors at their home institutions.

Bonner students first toured the award-winning “We Were Here” exhibit, which details the devastating effects urban renewal had on Danville’s African American community, and then heard from local leaders Cindy Peck, Michael Hughes and Danville Mayor J.H. Atkins.

Earlham Bonner Scholar Marisol Cora Cruz Awarded Watson Fellowship

Earlham Bonner Scholar Marisol Cora Cruz Awarded Watson Fellowship

Bonner Scholar, Marisol Cora-Cruz, 2023 Neuroscience major at Earlham College, has been awarded the prestigious Watson Fellowship for the 2023-24 academic year. Her project, "Understanding Maternal Healthcare Around the World," will take her to Bolivia, England, and Germany to explore access to and quality of maternal healthcare in countries with different healthcare models. This is Cora-Cruz's second major award in the last year, having previously earned the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.

DePauw Bonners Attend IMPACT ‘23 Conference on Civic Engagement

DePauw Bonners Attend IMPACT ‘23 Conference on Civic Engagement

Several DePauw students, along with Anna Sherrill, the coordinator of community-based learning at DePauw, attended the 2023 IMPACT Conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to learn about civic engagement and community service. The Bonner Foundation facilitated the students' connection to the conference, and since then, several students have had the opportunity to attend. See full story.

Davidson College Bonner Alums Are Helping Preserve the Traditions of a Remote Georgia Island

Davidson College Bonner Alums Are Helping Preserve the Traditions of a Remote Georgia Island

Victor-Alan Weeks, an Atlanta native, visited Sapelo Island for the first time as a student just a few months before Tropical Storm Irma. As part of an Africana Studies course at Davidson College in North Carolina, Weeks had taken a tour of Hog Hammock, learning more about the history of the Gullah Geechee people. “I never heard about Sapelo Island before,” Weeks said, who was majoring in both digital media and ethnography. “My first impression was: This is a place of serenity, restoration, and with its past, there are a lot of stories to be revealed from the land and the people.”

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Sewanee's Jim Peterman's Vision for a Better World

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Sewanee's Jim Peterman's Vision for a Better World

For over two decades, the philosophy professor and (now former) director of the Univeristy of the. South’s Office of Civic Engagement has been at the center of efforts to push Sewanee’s academic and co-curricular offerings out of the ivory tower and into the community, where they can make a real difference. Read full profile here.

Berry College's Bertha Nibirgira '18 Embraces Peacebuilding and Empowering International Youth

Berry College's Bertha Nibirgira '18 Embraces Peacebuilding and Empowering International Youth

Bertha Nibigira ’18, who majored in sociology and anthropology, graduated with a Master of Arts from American University’s School of International Service, with an emphasis on international development,  peacebuilding and youth empowerment. Her perspective on international issues began early in life, as her family fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Tanzania and eventually resettled in the United States.   

Maryville Professors Team Up to Empower Budding Activists

Maryville Professors Team Up to Empower Budding Activists

One year ago, Professor Adrienne Schwarte and Mark O’Gorman learned about a Bonner Foundation grant that would allow them to start a class focused on social action, and they knew they wanted to get involved. Their passions in design and political science, as well as their involvement with the Center for Community Engagement at Maryville College, came together to create the new “Art, Design, and American Politics” course.

To sum up the mission of the class, Schwarte said, “It’s important to make sure people realize that individuals can make a difference; they do make a difference, and it happens every day.”

New Graduate School Partnership with Nonprofit Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania

New Graduate School Partnership with Nonprofit Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania

The Bonner Foundation is excited to announce a new graduate school partnership with the Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership Program at the School of Social Policy & Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.

The new Bonner-MSNPL partnership provides an application fee waiver to Bonner Scholars/Leaders, alumni, or staff. Additionally, Bonner applicants to the MSNPL who are successfully admitted into the program will receive a guaranteed $10,000 one-time scholarship.

Lotus Lloyd, Oberlin ‘26, Named a GLAAD’s “20 Under 20” Changemaker

Lotus Lloyd, Oberlin ‘26, Named a GLAAD’s “20 Under 20” Changemaker

Lloyd was recently named to GLAAD’s prestigious “20 Under 20” list of changemakers: a group of outstanding young people who are accelerating acceptance through their work in entertainment and media.

Bonner Foundation Partner Scott Myers-Lipton to Lead Teaching Social Action Initiative

Bonner Foundation Partner Scott Myers-Lipton to Lead Teaching Social Action Initiative

Dr. Scott Myers-Lipton is moving on to become the director of the Teaching Social Action Initiative in collaboration with the Bonner Foundation to encourage students “to apply what they learn about policy to their own organizing. The incorporation of applied activism has been part of his work at SJSU since he started in 1999. The only difference now is he will teach social action to educators, he said.”

Read full profile on San Jose Spotlight here.

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Two Bonners Receive Community Impact Student Awards at 2022 “Engagement Matters” NCCE Ceremony

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Two Bonners Receive Community Impact Student Awards at 2022 “Engagement Matters” NCCE Ceremony

On November 18 North Carolina Campus Engagement hosted the 2022 “Engagement Matters” Student Awards Ceremony. Nineteen outstanding students, from within the NCCE member network of colleges and universities, were recognized for their civic and community engagement leadership. The award recipients shared powerful insights about what they have gained or learned by being civically engaged. Friends, loved ones, and campus constituents participated in the Ceremony from throughout the country to celebrate these inspiring students.

Since 2006, the Community Impact Student Awards recognize an outstanding, full-time undergraduate or graduate student service leader from each member campus.

All award winners should clearly demonstrate:

  • Deep commitment to partnering with others to address community issues

  • Outstanding ability to lead and inspire fellow students to engage

  • Evidence of sustainable impact of their work

Two Bonner students were selected by their institution to receive at 2022 Community Impact Student Award (CISA).