Approximately 100 Bonner Scholars and Leaders gathered in Black Mountain, North Carolina at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly from Oct 27-29 for an inspiring and engaging three days. The 2023 Bonner Congress theme was Making Mountains Move, a metaphorical concept that encapsulated the essence of overcoming challenges, the natural mountainous environment of the host site, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Just as moving a mountain is a seemingly impossible task, this theme encouraged participants to explore innovative strategies, determination, and collaboration to surmount obstacles, achieve ambitious goals, and effect positive change.

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.

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.

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.

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.