History of the Bonner Program
The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation
Bonner Leaders Program
The mission of the Bonner Scholars and Bonner Leaders Programs is to transform the lives of students and members, the life of their campuses, their local communities, and the world through service and leadership. The Bonner Program is designed to heighten the overall education students and members receive by asking them to engage in ongoing service work and helping them develop the experience, skills, knowledge, and values necessary to make that work meaningful and lasting.
In 1997, the Bonner Foundation began an effort to expand its original Common Commitments model of service-based scholarships. The model was initially created as part of the Bonner Scholars Program in 1990. Today, the Foundation currently works with more than 50 institutions nationwide that have begun chapters of the Bonner Leaders Program.
Campuses in the Bonner Leaders Program have each designed innovative models that use varying combinations of federal work-study funds, AmeriCorps Education Awards, and institutional support to create scholarship opportunities and financial support for students involved in community service and research as part of the Bonner Program.
At the Lynchburg College campus, the Bonner Leaders Program is composed of approximately 30 students who work within the community at various sites. During their two to three years in the program, Bonner students focus on issues in the community such as improving educational opportunities, fighting hunger and homelessness, environmental concerns, youth development, and many other issues students are concerned about.
As part of the Bonner Program's Student Development Model, these students also participate in regular training and reflection activities sponsored by the campus, their community partners, and the Bonner Foundation.
