The Bonner Foundation has selected five exceptional interns for the 2024 National Bonner Summer Internship program. These interns, from various universities and diverse academic backgrounds, will contribute to the Bonner network by developing resources, assisting in event planning, and working on strategic initiatives. The Bonner Foundation looks forward to the unique contributions these young leaders will make to the network.
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.
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.
Josefina M. Ewins, originally from Sicklerville, New Jersey is a graduate of the Masters of Public Administration (MPA) program. She is a New Jersey Governor’s Fellow, a former Bonner Civic Scholar, and TriO Scholar. Driven by a passion for understanding policies that impact students and their higher education, she works with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education as a Policy Fellow, to improve the experience and outcomes for New Jersey students.
Katie Yurechko, a computer science and philosophy double major at Washington and Lee University, has been selected as a Marshall Scholar for the 2024 class. She will pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford and University College London, focusing on combating algorithmic injustice and unjust social media algorithms. Yurechko has a strong commitment to equity and justice in technology and plans to use computer science to explore issues of equity in social media. She has extensive research experience, is involved in various campus organizations, and has received numerous honors and scholarships.
Steve Cope, a sophomore at Maryville College, has found his calling through an internship with the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN). As a double major in Philosophy and Psychology, Cope is passionate about suicide prevention and has been actively involved in gathering demographic data, presenting to community groups, and providing guidelines for suicide prevention actions in schools. He credits Maryville College for providing a fertile ground for personal and professional development, and he plans to pursue a joint doctoral program at Yale University.
Spelman College in Atlanta is dedicated to enhancing community engagement programs to promote civic responsibility and innovative problem-solving. The college is striving to achieve recognition from the Carnegie Foundation for its community engagement initiatives, including the SpelREADS Literacy Program and the Refugee and Forced Migrations service-learning course. As a leading Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Spelman College believes that community engagement plays a vital role in cultivating leadership skills and empowering students to make meaningful contributions to society.
The Louisville Metro Housing Authority will have a new leader early next year.
Mayor Craig Greenberg announced Wednesday that Elizabeth (Wisman) Strojan will be the new Executive Director of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority beginning in early 2024.
Strojan is a native of Louisville and graduate of Jefferson County Public Schools. She received her Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government from Centre College (Danville, KY) where she was a Bonner Scholar. Strojan also served as the Bonner Scholar Program Coordinator at Centre.
Alicia Jiggetts, University of Richmond Bonner Alum ‘19, Spotlighted and Selected as the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government Graduation Speaker
Alicia Jiggetts (MPA ’23) credits the Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation with helping her discover her civic identity. As a Bonner Scholar in college, she served as a local news correspondent and worked in restoration of rights and workforce development programs.
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.
Discover the enriching journey of Xzavier Killings '16, a Davidson College Bonner alum, who has seamlessly blended his passion for community service with a professional endeavor in healthcare. This feature not only delves into Killings' collegiate experience but also unveils how the Bonner program played a pivotal role in shaping his career path. Through a curated collection of photos and narratives, explore how Killings' time at Davidson transcended the classroom, fostering a lifelong commitment to community engagement and healthcare excellence.
On July 30 to August 2, the Bonner Foundation welcomed twenty-seven staff and faculty to the Bonner Network during the 2023 New Bonner Staff Orientation hosted at the Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey.
Participants include representatives from sixteen institutions of higher education, including five with established Bonner Scholar Programs, ten with established Bonner Leader Programs, and one school that might start a new Bonner Program in the future.
Lirio Morales Ibarra ‘23, a Bonner who majored in sociology and anthropology at Berry College, was accepted into Harvard's Educational Leadership, Organizations and Entrepreneurship Program. Her experiences at Berry, particularly in serving the community, played a significant role in her success. Lirio's goal is to be in a leadership role at a youth-serving nonprofit and to create a scalable, transformational, and financially sustainable social enterprise to empower students from marginalized communities to attain educational success.
UR Bonner graduate Camryn Carter will delivered a speech at the Beckman Symposium in California before starting her doctorate in chemistry at MIT. Carter started as a computer science major but found her passion in chemistry through the University of Richmond Integrated Science Experience program. She conducted full-time summer research all four years at UR and was part of a research team that studied the COVID omicron variant. Carter was named a Beckman Scholar and received a Rising Black Scientist award. She graduated with a double major in chemistry and computer science.
Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, John continues to cultivate what he has learned from the legacies and infrastructures left by justice and equity pioneers of the past and present into accessible, approachable, and active actions for positive and transformative restitution as change.
As a Bonner and McNair Scholar, John has worked within his community and the broader communities he serves by expanding community capacity concerning political action and civic engagement while focusing on identity, place, and policy.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
