c concord bonner scholars - pbworkscubonners.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/63562353/concord... ·...

C 2012-2013 Program Handbook

Concord Bonner Scholars

Concord Bonner Scholars Handbook Page ii Updated June 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview ................................................................................................................. 1 The Bonner Foundation .......................................................................................... 1 Mission ......................................................................................................... 1 Values & Beliefs ........................................................................................... 1 History .......................................................................................................... 2 The Bonner Scholars Program ................................................................................ 3 History .......................................................................................................... 3 Hours of Service ........................................................................................... 3 The Bonner Scholarship ............................................................................... 4 Taxability of Bonner Scholarship ....................................................... 5 Payment for Service .......................................................................... 5 Bonner Scholarship Payments .......................................................... 6 Six Common Commitments .......................................................................... 7 Social Justice ..................................................................................... 7 Civic Engagement ............................................................................. 7 Community Building ........................................................................... 7 Spiritual Exploration ........................................................................... 7 International Perspective ................................................................... 7 Diversity ............................................................................................. 7 Student Development Opportunities ....................................................................... 7 Five E’s of Student Leadership .................................................................... 7 Expectation ........................................................................................ 8 Exploration ......................................................................................... 8 Experience ......................................................................................... 8 Example ............................................................................................. 8 Expertise ............................................................................................ 8 Skill Development ......................................................................................... 9 Personal Skills ................................................................................... 9 Leadership Skills ............................................................................... 9 Professional Skills ............................................................................. 9 Bonner Scholar Program Requirements ................................................................. 9 Community Service ...................................................................................... 9 Orientation .................................................................................................... 11 Meetings ....................................................................................................... 11 All-Bonner Meetings .......................................................................... 11 Bi-Weekly Class Meetings ................................................................. 11 One-on-One Meetings ....................................................................... 12 Required Paperwork ..................................................................................... 12 Community Learning Agreements ..................................................... 12 BWBRS Hour Logs ............................................................................ 13

Concord Bonner Scholars Handbook Page iii Updated June 2012

Service Accomplishments ................................................................. 13 Student Evaluation ............................................................................ 13 Site Evaluation ................................................................................... 14 Reflection ..................................................................................................... 14 Summer Service ........................................................................................... 14 First Year Trip ............................................................................................... 16 Second Year Exchange ................................................................................ 17 Sophomore Re-commitment Activity ............................................................ 17 Senior Presentation of Learning ................................................................... 17 Senior Exit Survey ........................................................................................ 18 Student Impact Surveys ............................................................................... 18 Additional Program Requirements ............................................................... 18 Policies & Procedures ............................................................................................. 18 Concord University Honor Code ................................................................... 18 Bonner Scholar Code of Conduct ................................................................. 18 Bonner Scholar Zero Tolerance Policy ......................................................... 19 Attendance Policy ......................................................................................... 20 Hours ........................................................................................................... 20 Banking Hours ................................................................................... 20 Making up Hours ............................................................................... 20 Incomplete Hours .............................................................................. 21 Late Fees ..................................................................................................... 21 Leaves of Absence ....................................................................................... 21 Recruitment & Selection of Bonners ............................................................ 21 Academic Requirements ................................................................... 21 Community Service Requirements .................................................... 21 Financial Requirements ..................................................................... 22 Diversity ............................................................................................. 22 Replacement Bonner Scholars ..................................................................... 22 Transfer Bonner Scholars ............................................................................ 22 Transportation & Vehicles ............................................................................ 22 Withdrawal & Dismissal ................................................................................ 23 Concord Bonner Student Committees & Roles ....................................................... 23 Bonner Congress Representatives .............................................................. 23 Bonner Love Committee ............................................................................... 24 Communications Intern ................................................................................ 24 Senior Intern ................................................................................................. 24 Spirit Coordinator ......................................................................................... 25 Summer Intern .............................................................................................. 25 Bonner, Service, & Leadership Conferences .......................................................... 26 Bonner Student Congress ............................................................................ 26 Gulf-South Summit Conference on Service-Learning .................................. 26 IMPACT Conference .................................................................................... 26

Concord Bonner Scholars Handbook Page iv Updated June 2012

Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) ............................................................... 26 Service Opportunities .............................................................................................. 27 4-H Youth Development ............................................................................... 27 American Red Cross .................................................................................... 27 Black Diamond Girl Scout Council ............................................................... 27 Bluefield Union Mission ................................................................................ 27 Carpenter’s Corner ....................................................................................... 28 CASE (Mercer County) ................................................................................. 28 Children’s Home Society: WE CAN Program ............................................... 28 Chuck Mathena Center ................................................................................ 28 Community Connections .............................................................................. 29 Concord Child Development Center ............................................................. 29 GlenWood Park Retirement Village .............................................................. 29 Labor of Love Mission .................................................................................. 29 Mercer County Animal Shelter ..................................................................... 30 Mercer County Commission on Aging: Senior Center .................................. 30 Mercer County Head Start Program ............................................................. 30 Mercer County Public Schools ..................................................................... 30 Pam’s Place ................................................................................................. 30 Piney Creek Watershed Association ............................................................ 31 Pipestem State Park ..................................................................................... 31 Planet Xtreme Teen Center, Inc ................................................................... 31 Princeton Community Hospital ..................................................................... 31 Raleigh General Hospital ............................................................................. 31 Second Chance Learning Center ................................................................. 32 Scottie’s Place .............................................................................................. 32 Tender Mercies Ministries ............................................................................ 32 United Way of the Virginias .......................................................................... 32 Upward Bound .............................................................................................. 33 WADE Center ............................................................................................... 33 West Virginia on the Move ........................................................................... 33 Women in Search of Equality (WISE) .......................................................... 33 References .............................................................................................................. 34 Useful Resources .................................................................................................... 34

Concord Bonner Scholars Handbook Page 1 Updated June 2012

Overview As a learning community, Concord University is committed to furthering knowledge through professional development activities and programs, through research, and through the application, publication, and appreciation of scholarly efforts. The primary purpose of Concord University’s mission is academic; however, the service the University provides to its state and region goes beyond the classroom. Concord University seeks to contribute to the quality of cultural and economic life in southern West Virginia through collaboration with both public and private organizations. At Concord, we want students who “come to learn” and “go to serve.” The Bonner Scholars Program is a four-year developmental leadership program, which is rooted in community service. Supported by the Bonner Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, the Bonner Scholarship provides tuition and summer support for approximately 20 Concord University students per class year who demonstrate a commitment to community service. Being a Bonner Scholar is a privilege. Detailed program requirements, expectations, and opportunities are outlined within this handbook.

The Bonner Foundation Mission Through sustained partnerships with colleges and congregations, the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation seek to improve the lives of individuals and communities by helping meet the basic needs of nutrition and educational opportunity. Values & Beliefs

• The Bonner Foundation is committed to working with all people and institutions regardless of age, race, belief, or nationality.

• The Bonner Foundation believes that colleges and congregations have vital societal roles to play by nurturing and mobilizing thoughtful, caring, and diverse leadership dedicated to community service.

• The Bonner Foundation recognizes that often the best way to help someone is to give them the opportunity to help themselves, and that the people best able to address a problem are the people whom it most directly affects.

• The Bonner Foundation recognizes that effective community service programs involve all stakeholders in their leadership.

• The Bonner Foundation recognizes that long-lasting partnerships are based on mutual respect and common commitments.

• The Bonner Foundation supports innovative programs which have the potential to serve as models for other congregations and higher education institutions.


History Bertram & Corella Bonner In the words of Bertram Bonner, he was born “without a dime” in 1899 in Brooklyn, New York. At the early age of 22 after putting himself through college at night, Mr. Bonner was named Head Treasurer for Heda Green Banks. He had been working with Ms. Green since the beginning of his teenage years and had learned much from the eccentric and well-known woman. As Head Treasurer he made many loans to New York builders, which inspired him to become involved in the real estate business. He was successful from

the beginning but in the stock market crash of '29, like so many others, he lost everything. But, unlike others, with hard-work and tremendous acumen for business, Mr. Bonner quickly made back his fortune. His career spanned six decades and he built more than 30,000 homes and apartments. Corella Bonner, like her husband, was born into poverty. However, she began her journey in the rural south – more specifically the town of Eagan, TN. At 14, after living in coal-mining towns in

West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, Corella Allen, along with her mother, sought opportunity in the northern city of Detroit. Arriving penniless, the young Allen soon found work as a cashier at a cafeteria, attended Wayne State University at night, and made sure that her younger siblings went to school. She worked her way up from cashier to manager and was eventually transferred to the Statler chain’s New York hotel. It was there she met Bertram Bonner who she married, 4 years later, in 1942. The Bonners’ involvement in community service emanated from their early work providing food for destitute families in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where the Bonner family lived. When the Bonners moved in 1956 to Princeton, NJ, they began a broad-based ecumenical crisis ministry program housed in the Nassau Presbyterian Church. Mr. Bonner passed away in May of 1993. Mrs. Bonner carried on their legacy of hope, service, and gratitude until her passing in July of 2002. Bonner Foundation Since activated in 1989, the Foundation has become one of the nation’s largest privately-funded service scholarship programs and philanthropic leader in the anti-hunger movement. The Foundation addresses its mission to improve the lives of individuals and communities with two major programs, Bonner Scholars and Crisis Ministry.


The Bonner Scholar Program provides scholarships to students at 27 colleges and universities who need financial assistance and who have a commitment to strengthening their communities through services. The Crisis Ministry Program funds the purchase of food for congregation-supported, anti-hunger initiatives. The Crisis Ministry Program grew out of the Bonner’s early work providing food for poor families in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Currently, the Foundation awards $625,000 in grants annually to congregationally-affiliated, community-based hunger relief programs across the country. In the past 11 years, the Foundation has provided $9.5 million in grants to thousands of religious, community-based hunger relief programs across the country and has awarded more than $12 million in scholarship support to more than 2,500 students at 27 colleges. In addition, the Foundation has created $5 million endowment at 7 Bonner colleges, including Concord, to carry out the Bonner Scholars Program, which has become a nationally recognized service scholarship model.

The Bonner Scholars Program History In 1990, the Bonner Foundation established the first Bonner Scholars Program at Berea College. The program was designed to provide students with “access to education and an opportunity to serve.” The program was created with the belief that college students engaged in service have unique gifts and talents that bring energy, creativity, and hope to individuals and communities. It is based also on the belief that colleges and universities can and must be a “telling presence” in their local communities. The Bonner Program has now grown to become the largest privately-funded, service-based college scholarship program in the country, supporting 1600 active students on 27 campuses in 12 states in the Southeast and Midwest. Concord University is the only state-assisted college chosen to participate in the entire Bonner Scholars program. Concord’s Bonner Scholars Program provides up to 80 students each year with financial scholarships to support academic endeavors at the university. Students provide support to their communities though service and participate in leadership and personal development activities. It is our goal, at Concord, that you will leave the Bonner Scholar program as an experienced, knowledgeable, and committed individual who recognizes the needs of society and each person’s responsibility to serve throughout his/her lifetime. Hours of Service Bonner Scholars are required to perform an average of 10 hours of community service a week during the academic year for a total of no less than 280 hours to fulfill the school-year service requirement (140 hours of service per semester). Time spent in All-Bonner, class, and committee meetings, retreats, service trips, reflection sessions, one-on-one meetings with Bonner Program staff, and training & enrichment activities may be counted toward the required hours of service. In addition, time spent traveling to and from service sites may be counted toward the school-year’s 280 hours requirement, but should not be counted in the summer service requirement.


No less than half of a Bonner Scholar’s service hours must be spent in “direct, hands-on” community service activities, such as tutoring, visiting the elderly, environmental clean-up, building a home, renovating a playground. Furthermore, no more than half of a Bonner Scholar’s service hours may be spent in “indirect” community service activities, such as administrative tasks related to the Bonner Scholars Program or action research on behalf of a community group. Every Bonner Scholar is also required to complete at least two summers of full-time community service. The Bonner Foundation defines summer service as at least 280 hours over at least seven weeks, with a minimum of 40 hours per week; however, the Concord Bonner staff realizes that such “full-time” (i.e. 40 hours a week) service may not be possible for some students. It is most important that students are completing the entire 280 hours of Bonner service, during the summer term, at a site that fits Bonner Foundation criteria, not the number of hours served any given week. Please contact the Bonner Coordinator regarding any questions. The Bonner Scholarship Concord University students who are accepted into the Bonner Scholars Program are eligible to receive four years (eight semesters) of scholarship support. Fifth and Sixth year “seniors” will not be eligible for continued Bonner Scholarship support. Each Bonner Scholar receives $1,250.00 per semester based on the successful completion of at least 140 service hours each semester. Furthermore, students must remain in good standing with the Bonner program, complete required paperwork, and fulfill additional program expectations as described in this handbook in order to receive the full scholarship. In addition to the school year service requirements, Bonner Scholars are expected to complete two summer service internships of at least 280 hours each. For completing each of these summer internships, Bonner Scholars will receive $1,500.00 at the end of each summer of service. There are also expense funds available to help students pay for any direct expenses related to their summer internships (i.e., food, lodging, travel, etc.). The amount of expense money available for the first summer is $1000.00 and any funds not used during this summer will be carried forward to the second summer. During the second summer, students will have access to another $1,000.00, plus any funds not used during the first summer. Additional funding sources established by the Bonner Foundation also may be available upon request and application. Bonner Scholars, in between their junior and senior years, are eligible for an Enrichment Grant of up to $500.00 pending a successful application and review by the Bonner Director and Bonner Foundation. This proposed adjustment offers additional summer service support for students who should both be rewarded for their past commitments as a Bonner Scholar as well as their willingness to stretch themselves through a more challenging summer service experience. It is expected that Bonner Scholars will request funding to participate in a service internship that connects with their service passions, academic interests, and career pursuits. Bonner Scholars interested in tapping into the Enrichment Grant should submit their proposal to the Bonner Director or Coordinator for review. The successful proposals should then be submitted to the Foundation for final approval. A student application must demonstrate how the proposed experience would tie into his/her service experience, connect to the student development model, and provide a budget justifying the additional ($500.00). Upon completion of the Bonner Scholars Program, a Bonner Scholar in good standing and completing his/her degree requirements, can apply for up to $2,000.00 from the Bonner Foundation. If a Bonner


Scholar has outstanding school loans, these funds must be used for loan repayment. If the student does not have any outstanding loans, then the funds may be used for graduate school expenses. The breakdown of the total potential scholarship over a 4 year period is as follows: Scholarship $10,000.00 Summer Living Funds $2,000.00 Summer Earnings $3,000.00 Rising Senior Enrichment Grant Financial Supplement $500.00 Senior Loan Reduction (Upon Graduation) $2,000.00 Total $17,500.00 Note: Students who join the program as a replacement Bonner Scholar are eligible for scholarship support for the number of semesters unused by the person they replace. Replacement Bonners who begin the program their junior year do one summer of service with up to $1,000.00 available for summer living expenses plus $1,500.00 in summer earnings and are not eligible to receive a rising senior Enrichment Grant. Replacement Bonners who begin their service prior to the start of their junior year will fulfill summer service requirements and have access to the rising senior Enrichment Grant applied to Bonners who begin the program as entering first year students. For all replacement Bonner Scholars, the maximum available senior loan reduction will be calculated by subtracting $125.00 per missed semester from $2,000.00. Taxability of Bonner Scholarship The amount of scholarship awards in excess of the amount of any qualified tuition, fees, books, supplies, and certain equipment is generally includible in gross income for federal tax purposes. Payments are only excludable from income to the extent that they do not exceed the student’s expenses for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment needed for classes. Students, you are responsible for determining whether or not any of the scholarship money you receive is taxable. The Bonner Foundation and Concord staff members are not qualified to advise you or your families in this area. For questions, contact a tax consultant and/or visit http://www.irs.gov/individuals/students/article/0,,id=96674,00.html. Payment for Service Bonner Scholars are strictly prohibited from accepting payment from their service sites during the school year. Students are permitted to accept reimbursement for mileage and other expenses incurred in the course of service if the agency is able and willing to cover such costs. While Bonners cannot receive payment directly from their service site, they can receive Federal Work Study funds for the community service they perform, such that Bonner Scholars are meeting both work study and Bonner hour requirements concurrently. In most cases, however, the Bonner service hour expectation will exceed a work study award. This would mean that students would receive work study funds for some of their Bonner service hours but not necessarily for all of them.


During summer service, Bonners may accept a paid internship in addition to the Summer Earnings stipend. Bonners may be paid for their work either through Federal Work Study and/or their service site. Bonner Scholarship Payments $2,500.00 per Bonner Scholar is allocated during the school year to support the Scholar’s educational costs (i.e., books, transportation, and personal expenses). Concord University issues the school-year support portion of the scholarship ($1,250.00 per semester) in three payments. These payments will be made directly to the student. These funds are paid according to the following schedule:

• The first payment of $450.00 is available at the beginning of each semester. To receive your payment, you must submit an approved Community Learning Agreement .

• The second payment of $400.00 is available at mid-term. To receive this payment, you must be up-to-date with all Bonner requirements, have all appropriate paperwork submitted, and must attend a scheduled appointment with the Bonner Director or Coordinator.

• The third payment of $400.00 is available on the last day of the semester, after you have submitted all documentation and requirements for the semester. If you did not complete all of your service requirements and/or did not fulfill Bonner expectations, you may receive deductions from this final payment.

Payments will only be made at the three specified times each semester. Partial payments will not be made except at the end of a period if hours have not been completed. Because the Bonner Scholars program is a scholarship program, students are not receiving wages for hours served, but instead are receiving a financial scholarship which requires students to participate in the program to the fullest extent (i.e., completing hour expectations, required paperwork, and additional activities). For this reason, students are not paid an hourly rate, but rather receive scholarship payments at specified intervals provided they meet all stated program requirements. Note A: Students, because the scholarship payments are made directly to you, as opposed to the institution, it is your responsibility to utilize your Bonner Scholarship funds in whatever way you see fit. If you owe money to the bookstore or to the University, it is advised you utilize the scholarship money to take care of any debt; however, the financial decision is ultimately up to you. Note B: If an extenuating circumstance arises in which you will need to access your Bonner Scholarship funds prior to the date they are distributed, please contact the Bonner Coordinator immediately. Please notify him/her in writing (via e-mail) of the request and the reason for your request. The Bonner Coordinator will meet with you to discuss your circumstances and will consider each request on an individual basis. Note C: Students who do not receive a payment will receive a payment on the next specified payment date if they have met all of the requirements by the next scheduled cut-off date. Note D: Individuals who do not complete the required 140 hours of service prior to the end of the semester will have partial payment withheld at the rate of $8.93 per hour of incomplete service hours. This payment will be deducted from your final check. If you have extenuating circumstances, you may appeal to the Bonner Coordinator or Director.


Six Common Commitments The Bonner Program has identified six common commitments in service. These common commitments serve as a guide for helping students deepen their service experiences and become more effective agents of change. Social Justice Advocate for fairness, impartiality, and equality while addressing

systemic social and environmental issues. Civic Engagement Participate intentionally as a citizen in the democratic process,

actively engaging in public policy and direct service. Community Building Establish and sustain a vibrant community of place, personal

relationships, and common interests. Spiritual Exploration Explore personal beliefs while respecting the spiritual practices of

others. International Perspective Develop International understanding that enables Bonner

Scholars to participate successfully in a global society. Diversity Respect many different dimensions of diversity in our public lives. Student Development Opportunities Five E’s of Student Leadership The Bonner Program’s “5 E’s” framework is meant to provide a common challenge that can be applied in appropriate ways to every individual who participates, recognizing that each student comes to the program with a unique background of experiences and will further move through the program at different developmental rates. Therefore, the Bonner Program staff is here to advise you through your own personal leadership development throughout your tenure within the program. During your time as a Bonner Scholar, you are expected to grow and assume an increasing amount of responsibility and leadership roles within your service site and across the wider campus community. As a graduating senior, you should be at a significantly different level of leadership than as an entering freshman. Each year, you should attempt to become progressively more familiar with the structure and overall functioning of your service sites. By the end of your service you should know about the overall mission of the organization or agency, the roles of various staff and volunteers within the organization, all of the services provided, how funding is obtained, how and by whom various types of decision are made, etc. Ultimately, the “5 E’s” provides a framework for students to develop, apply, and integrate service passions, career interests, leadership skills, and academic pursuits. As students move through each stage (as described below) they will increase their skill-set, responsibility, and knowledge development.


Expectation: The preparation stage before entering college. Bonner Scholars are selected based on their record of service in their home communities and they begin to learn about the Bonner Scholar program as they prepare for college. Exploration: First-Year students are involved in a variety of service sites and activities including short-term service trips. Bonner Scholars should be oriented in areas such as personal identity, the local and at-large community, and program’s administrative and service issues.

• Expected Skill Development: professionalism, teamwork, setting goals & objectives, time management, community knowledge, and personal exploration.

Experience: Second-year students are encouraged to focus on a particular issue within a single organization that enables them as Bonner Scholars to fully experience the operations and mission of a particular agency and to develop a better understanding of community issues. This approach also offers agencies consistent and reliable support to help run and manage their programs. Students should gain an understanding of how to participate effectively in a sustained community partnership. Students are encouraged to complete a summer of service, which is usually located inside their local community.

• Expected Skill Development: project planning, multiculturalism & diversity awareness, group dynamics/conflict resolution, and critical thinking.

Example: Students in their third year should begin assuming Project Coordinator responsibilities, such as recruiting, placing, monitoring, and leading reflection for other student volunteers. Students will learn how to become a successful peer and community leader. Students are encouraged to seek internships outside of their local community to broaden their experience and sense of community.

• Expected Skill Development: project coordination, resource development, leading reflection and inquiry, career exploration or vocation, and articulating personal and civic values (i.e., understanding of engaged citizenship, involvement in public education, & advocacy).

Expertise: The Bonner Program works to identify interests and skills on part of the students and match them with community opportunities and needs. Students who have been involved in the Bonner Program are encouraged to integrate their academic pursuits and career interests with their service activities. In many ways, the fourth year student’s relationship to the community partner is similar to that of a staff member, consultant, or apprentice who can assist the agency in strategic planning and implementation, financial management, grant writing, research report writing, and special projects, etc. Students are challenged to demonstrate a sense of renewed commitment in order to finish the program stronger than when he/she began.

• Expected Skill Development: networking, public speaking, evaluation, management, career planning.

Note: Bonner program staff will work with each Bonner Scholar individually to identify personal, and appropriate developmental goals. Students are expected to grow and change in their service as demonstrated by the role(s) and responsibilities assumed whether the student chooses to stay at the same service site or serve at multiple sites over the course of the program.


Skill Development Through service, Training & Enrichment, and other Bonner activities, Bonner Scholars will have the opportunity to develop competency in a number of personal, leadership, and professional skills. Bonner Scholars should seek opportunities which expose them to training and/or hands-on experience with each of the 24 skills during their time in the program and should spend sufficient time to develop competency in as many of the skill areas as possible. It is encouraged that Bonner Scholars use the skill sets (listed below) when creating their learning objectives for the semester. Furthermore, students who maintain a running list of the specific skills taught or reinforced by each service placement and training activity, in which they participate in, will have an excellent resource for their resume. The personal, leadership, and professional skills are:

PERSONAL SKILLS LEADERSHIP SKILLS PROFESSIONAL SKILLS Active Listening Conflict Resolution Budgeting Balance/Boundaries Delegation Evaluation/Research Communication Planning Event Planning Decision Making Public Speaking Fundraising Organization Running a Meeting Grant Writing Planning Teamwork Marketing/Public Relations Time Management Working with Diverse Groups Mediation Goal Setting Networking Public Education/Advocacy Volunteer Management Bonner Scholar Program Requirements Community Service For the purpose of the Bonner Scholars Program, “community service” is defined as service provided to individuals or communities to meet social, educational, or environmental needs. This service may be provided directly or indirectly through a student-initiated project or a project sponsored by a non-profit or government agency. The following activities will not count towards meeting a Bonner Scholar’s service requirement either during the school year (140 hours per semester) or in the summer (280 hours each term):

• Service on behalf of a private, for-profit company or organization.

• Service on behalf of a political organization or campaign. While voter registration drives and issue-based campaigns are allowed, students may not work on election campaigns.


• Pure, scientific research in a laboratory.

• ROTC or any other military service.

• Service for activities whose primary focus is to support worship, evangelical, and proselytizing not limited to, service that focuses on religious instruction, indoctrination, or conversion. Examples include providing childcare at church in support of a worship service, teaching in evangelical and proselytizing programs, participating in a worship service, and clerical and/or administrative work for the organization.

Note: Service with a religious or a para-religious organization for the purpose of providing direct community service (i.e., tutoring, mentoring, providing goods to those in need, community justice programs, and crisis intervention) does qualify for Bonner service.

• Only on-campus work (academic or administrative offices). Recipients of service should be exclusively or primarily members of the local community as opposed to fellow students on campus. Please note that activities with youth aimed at recruiting them to attend Concord, such as hosting prospective students cannot be counted as Bonner service. However, activities which bring young people to campus but which are more generally aimed at encouraging students to go to college or engage in learning (i.e., Upward Bound) are acceptable Bonner service activities.

• Administrative work (paperwork). While almost all placement jobs will have administrative work, this should not be the student’s primary task at a service site.

DIRECT SERVICE: No less than half of a Bonner Scholar’s service hours must be spent in “direct, hands-on” community service activities such as tutoring, visiting the elderly, environmental clean-up, building a home, renovating a playground, etc. Time spent in planning (i.e., preparing a lesson to tutor, preparing an activity for a group of children, creating flyers and publicity to advertise a service you will be assisting with at your site, etc.) counts as direct service. In general, any time spent at or on behalf of your community service site should be counted as direct service. We realize there are times at any agency when all volunteers and staff may pitch in to complete tasks necessary to the smooth operation of the program, such as answering phones, typing, filing, photocopying, stuffing envelopes, and cleaning the office. Bonner Scholars should count time spent in these types of activities as direct service hours. At the same time, Bonner Scholars are expected to spend most of their time engaged in more meaningful forms of service that allow them to develop and exercise skills and grow personally and professionally. Students who find that they are spending most or all of their time carrying out routine office work are strongly encouraged to speak with their site supervisor. If the pattern persists, they should talk with the Bonner Coordinator. INDIRECT SERVICE: No more than half of a Bonner Scholar’s service hours may be spent in “indirect” community service activities, such as administrative tasks related to the Bonner Scholars Program (i.e., committee work, assisting with organizing and leading activities at Bonner meetings, Bonner Congress, etc.) or action research on behalf of a community group. Time spent in Bonner meetings, retreats and in-services counts as indirect service hours with the exception of time spent during Bonner meetings and


retreats on group service projects, which may be counted as direct service. The Bonner Coordinator will advise Bonner Scholars on the number of direct and indirect hours they may count for specific retreats and other group activities. During the school year only, travel time to and from service sites may be counted as indirect service. During the summer, however, travel time should not be counted toward the 280-hour service requirement. It is expected that Bonners will complete a majority of their required 140 hours per semester at their primary service site; therefore, please note that if you are volunteering at a site outside of your normal placement site, you must work a minimum of 20 hours at the site in order for the hours to be added in BWBRS to count towards Bonner. Exceptions will be made for Bonner-sponsored events and activities. It is your responsibility to provide the Bonner Coordinator with your service site information in a timely manner so that it can be entered into BWBRS. This means informing the Bonner Coordinator of potential service opportunities BEFORE you have completed the hours. Orientation Orientation provides the building blocks to have a meaningful Bonner experience. Each first-year Bonner Scholar is required to attend an orientation session prior to the regular freshman orientation session. The Concord Bonner Scholars orientation is generally a 3-day event, which provides first-year Bonners with a sense of identity and belonging in the Bonner Program. Students will have the opportunity to participate in enrichment and service activities. They will complete the orientation with basic knowledge about the Bonner Program and with the preparation necessary to fulfill their service and scholarship responsibilities. This first-year orientation is mandatory; therefore, students who cannot attend the session should not accept the Bonner Scholarship. Meetings All-Bonner Meetings: All-Bonner meetings will be held once a month on Mondays from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. (Students are only required to attend one of the meeting times.) All-Bonner Meetings will include community-building activities, senior capstone presentations of learning, presentation on local agencies and issues, announcements, and/or an opportunity for Bonner Scholars to explore one of the six Bonner Common Commitments on a deeper level. Attendance at All-Bonner meetings is required. Bi-Weekly Class Meetings: Class meetings (Freshmen/Sophomore and Junior/Seniors) will be held twice a month. The Freshmen/Sophomore Class will meet on Mondays from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Tuesdays from 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. The Junior/Senior Class will meet on Thursdays from 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. and Fridays from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Students are only required to attend one of the meeting times.) These meetings will be organized by the Bonner staff and/or Bonner Scholars and will focus on education, training, and enrichment purposes in an effort to help Bonner Scholars progress through the developmental model by ensuring each Bonner Scholar is exposed to core ideas, tools, and skills. The majority of the meeting time will be spent in participatory exercises, discussions, reflection, and other structured group activities. All class meetings are mandatory.


One-on-One Meetings: All Bonner Scholars are required to meet with staff once a semester for a mid-term meeting. This is an opportunity for open dialogue between staff and students to address issues or voice concerns. The meeting specifically serves as a time to check on progress towards meeting program requirements and a time to develop the individual relationship between program staff and the student. This is a mandatory meeting. If you are a Junior or Senior Bonner Scholar, please make an appointment to meet with the Bonner Director. All Freshmen and Sophomore Bonner Scholars should make an appointment to meet with the Bonner Coordinator. It is the responsibility of the student to make the appointment and to keep it. Fall One-on-One Meeting: October 01 – 31, 2012 Spring One-on-One Meeting: March 01 – 31, 2013 Required Paperwork Community Learning Agreements The Community Learning Agreement (CLA) is an important tool for students and site supervisors to articulate service goals and objectives. It can help ensure that the student and site supervisor have a common set of expectations regarding the nature and the purpose of the service. It is also a helpful tool for evaluating the service experience throughout the course of the service. A Community Learning Agreement must be filled out for each service site where you plan to carry out service on an ongoing basis. There is no need to complete a Community Learning Agreement for a one-time or short-term service project. Students are required to fill out a new Community Learning Agreement each term. In line with the developmental model, the duties and goals described on the Community Learning Agreement should show a progression in responsibility and the skills required to carry out service duties. The development of the Community Learning Agreement should be a collaborative process between the Bonner Scholar and his/her site supervisor. Before filling out the Community Learning Agreement, the student should be sure that he/she has a good understanding of the overall mission of the organization or agency and of his/her role and duties within the organization. Community Learning Agreements should be completed using BWBRS. You must wait to receive final approval from the Bonner Coordinator before printing your Community Learning Agreement. Training on completing the Community Learning Agreement is provided to new Bonners during Orientation; however, if you need further assistance, please contact the Bonner Coordinator. Once the Community Learning Agreement has been filled out and signed, it is the Bonner Scholar’s responsibility to bring a hard copy to the Bonner House. It is also highly recommended that you make a copy for your site supervisor in order to periodically review your service and learning objectives to determine whether or not you are achieving the goals you have put forth. Please note that a deadline is provided each semester for the Community Learning Agreement to be turned in. It is your responsibility to inform the Bonner Coordinator of your service site prior to the deadline so that he/she can enter your service partner and position in BWBRS. Additionally, you should complete your Community Learning Agreement with enough time in advance for the Bonner Coordinator to provide you


with any feedback in case changes must be made. If you do not have your Community Learning Agreement submitted by the required date, the following late fees may apply: Missed First CLA Deadline $25 Fine Missed Second CLA Deadline $50 Fine Missed Third CLA Deadline $100 Fine If you are having difficulty completing the Community Learning Agreement or obtaining necessary signatures, please talk to the Bonner Coordinator for assistance. A student may not receive his/her first check without a Community Learning agreement on BWBRS and a signed copy in his/her file. BWBRS Hour Logs The Bonner Web based reporting system (concord.bwbrs.org) allows students to log hours any time that they have access to the Internet. Students will also be required to maintain a hardcopy of their hours at their service site using the Service Report Form. The Service Report Form allows students and their supervisors to keep track of hours on a daily basis. Students will be required to log their hours in BWBRS on a monthly basis. Hour logs must be electronically approved by the student and site supervisor at mid-term and at the end of the semester. The Service Report Form should be submitted with the final BWBRS electronically approved hour-log at conclusion of the semester. Note: While a Bonner Scholar may volunteer at an agency with friends or relatives, his/her site supervisor cannot be related. This would be considered a conflict of interest. Please direct all questions or concerns regarding this policy to the Bonner Coordinator or Director. Service Accomplishments At the end of every semester/summer during which a Bonner Scholar performs service, he/she should enter Service Accomplishments in BWBRS for each approved Community Learning Agreement. This is an opportunity for students to reflect on their experience and to gauge the scope of the impact their service has had. It is very important to be as detailed as possible in tracking Service Accomplishments. Specifically, anything that can be numerically calculated should be recorded (i.e., the number of students tutored, meals served, or houses built). If a Bonner Scholar recruits any volunteers, they should report the number of hours the volunteers served. Bonners should be as specific as possible about what they accomplished during their semester of service (i.e., “the student I tutored over the past 10 weeks raised his math grade from a C to an A;” or “30 miles of highway were cleaned up,” etc.) Student Evaluation Prior to the completion of each semester, Bonner Scholars are responsible for providing each supervisor, at sites where they have a Community Learning Agreement, a Student Evaluation Form. Please provide your supervisor with this information no earlier than one month and no later than two weeks before the end of the semester. If the supervisor is comfortable giving the completed form to the student to return to the Bonner House, this is acceptable. Otherwise, the supervisor can mail or e-mail the form back to the Bonner House.


Site Evaluation The Site Evaluation should be completed at the end of each semester for each service site with whom the Bonner Scholar has an active Community Learning Agreement. This form provides the Bonner Scholar an opportunity to give feedback about the quality of the experience at the service site to the Bonner Coordinator. The information provided in the Site Evaluation Form is particularly valuable to the Concord Bonner staff as they aim to work with sites to ensure a positive experience for students, or in rare cases where this is not possible, to terminate Concord’s affiliation with an unsatisfactory service site. Sites may be providing much-needed services to the community and yet not be able to provide appropriate service opportunities and/or supervision to Bonner Scholars; therefore, it is important that the Bonner staff receive feedback regarding the quality of your service experience. The Site Evaluation Form should be completed and returned to the Bonner House prior to the end of each semester. Failure to turn in the Site Evaluation Form could result in late fees and/or not receiving your final scholarship check. Please address any questions or concerns to the Bonner Coordinator. Reflection Reflection is a process of self-examination and self-evaluation. It can include any activity that helps you to draw connections between your service site as a Bonner Scholar and other aspects of your academic, personal, and/or professional life. Reflection is an opportunity for you to think thoughtfully and critically about previous experiences and future expectations. For each semester and each summer of service Bonner Scholars are required to engage in some form of reflection activity. More than listing skills and knowledge, reflection involves considering aspects such as the emotional impact of the service and human relationships associated with it and the influence service is having on values and life/vocational goals. A reflection may focus on the challenges and difficulties of service as well as its joys and rewards. For each semester, Bonner Scholars will be required to complete one Training & Enrichment Reflection and one Semester Service Reflection. Reflections should not be merely reports of what happened at a particular event. Instead, they should demonstrate the Bonner Scholar’s understanding of issues, the community, the world, and his/herself. The details and due dates are described in the “Reflection” handbook provided at the commencement of the fall semester. Failure to complete a reflection activity or lateness turning in a reflection project may result in late fees and/or not receiving your final scholarship check. Should you have any questions regarding reflection requirements, please contact the Bonner Coordinator. Summer Service Every Bonner Scholar is required to complete at least two summers of full-time community service defined as at least 280 hours. It is encouraged that students complete their service over at least seven weeks, with a minimum of 40 hours per week, such that he/she is simulating an internship experience. Often times Bonners will choose to complete their service at a summer camp. While there is no “maximum” for the amount of hours a student can log each day, students must be very clear, prior to leaving Concord


for the summer, how he/she will count their service hours. For instance, students should not count sleeping and/or on-call time as service hours; thus it is very unlikely for an individual to log “24” hours of service in a one-day time. If you have any questions or concerns regarding how to log summer service hours, please contact the Bonner Coordinator. Bonner Scholar replacements who begin the Bonner Scholars Program in their freshman or sophomore year are required to complete two summers of service; Bonner Scholar replacements who begin in their junior year are required to complete one summer of service. The Bonner Scholar may choose to do his or her summer service during any two summers that he/she is a student. Students may not do summer service during the summer following graduations. Students may optionally choose to complete a third summer of service. Students who do not plan to return to the Bonner Scholars Program in the fall are not eligible to participate in the summer service program. However, if, after completing the summer service, a student decides to take a leave, he or she will receive the summer earning upon his or her return from leave. If a student completes a summer of service and then withdrawals from Concord (including transfer to another college) without ever returning to Concord as a student, he/she will not receive summer earnings. Bonner Scholars are eligible to receive the following compensation for their summer service:

• Summer Living Stipend: Summer Living Stipend funds are made available at the beginning of the summer for students to use to cover living expenses over the summer. All students must submit their proposed summer living/travel budget to the Bonner Scholars Program Director for approval. Bonner Scholars may access up to $1,000.00 during the first summer of service for living expenses. Any unused portion of these funds remains for the student to use, along with another $1,000.00 during his or her second summer of service. Bonner Scholars may complete an optional third summer of service and use any remaining money from the total of $2,000.00 available for summer living expenses.

All money spent from the Summer Living Stipends must be documented with some type of receipt. The receipts should be neatly taped on regular sheets of paper so that the Bonner Director can read the name of the provider and the amount spent. Please note that if Bonner staff cannot clearly tell what the money was spent on, students will be required to reimburse the Bonner Program. Any questionable receipts will be discarded. Students should also indicate the total of their receipts on the front sheet to be submitted. If you are an international student and cannot secure receipts, you must have your site supervisor provide supporting documentation for travel expenses, meal expenses, etc. A letter giving an appropriate amount for these expenses will be acceptable. Any unspent funds must be refunded to the Bonner Scholars Program before you will receive your Summer Earning Stipend. Additionally, if you do not complete all 280 required summer placement hours, you may be required to reimburse the Bonner Program for a portion, possibly all, Summer Living money that has been advanced to you.


• Summer Earning Stipend: Upon completion of summer service and submission of all required paperwork, Bonner Scholars will receive a $1,500.00 summer earnings stipend for each of two summers of service. Bonner Scholars who choose to complete a third summer of service will not receive a third $1,500.00 summer earnings stipend. This money is not available for the student’s use during the third summer.

• Rising Senior Enrichment Financial Supplement: Rising seniors may receive $500.00 as an added incentive if they can demonstrate that their summer service will challenge them in some new way (i.e., international service or service in a new city, or service at a previous service site with increased responsibilities, etc) This grant is available both to rising seniors completing a second summer of service and those choosing to do an optional third summer of service and is paid at the beginning of the summer along with the summer living stipend.

• Pay from Service Sites: Unlike during the school year, Bonner Scholars are permitted to accept pay from their service site for summer service. Students who secure a paying position can still receive all of the forms of financial support available from the Bonner Foundation described above. However, the Bonner Foundation does require that the Bonner Coordinator inform service sites in writing that Bonner Scholars are receiving summer living and earnings stipends.

During the spring semester, all Bonner Scholars planning to complete summer service must submit a summer living stipend proposal. Rising seniors (Bonner Scholars who will be seniors in the fall following the summer service) should complete a separate form to apply for the Rising Senior Enrichment Financial Supplement, which must be reviewed and approved by the Bonner Foundation. Summer paperwork deadlines will be announced early in the spring semester, but are generally around April 1. During the summer, Bonner Scholars are required to complete Community Learning Agreements, a Site Evaluation, a Student Evaluation, and Summer Service Accomplishments. Students must also turn in a signed verification of the number of hours served, provide budget documentation (receipts) of how funds were spent compared to an initial budget, return any unused funds to the Bonner program, and submit a summer reflection project. All summer paperwork is due no later than the first day of classes in the fall semester. It may be mailed/e-mailed in ahead of time or handed in when you arrive back on campus for the fall semester. Summer earnings checks will be released only when all paperwork has been completed and submitted. Students should begin planning for their summer service at least by February. Late or incomplete summer service forms may delay the issue of the check with summer living and other funds that are made available before the summer service begins. First Year Trip Each first year class participates in a week long service trip during Fall Break or after school is completed. All First Year Bonner Scholars and any replacement Bonners are required to attend. The trip generally last from 4-6 days and is located in a geographic region outside of the campus community. The trip includes program and service activities, educational preparation and reflection before, during, and after the trip, and immersion in partnerships with community organizations, involving presentations and learning. First year trips may count towards meeting the student’s school-year or summer service hour requirement.


Second Year Exchange All Bonner Scholars are required to participate in a 1-2 day project/trip in partnership with another Bonner Program and its second year students. The event includes program and service activities, educational preparation and reflection before, during, and after the trip. Students will have an opportunity to be exposed to Bonner Scholars within the larger Bonner network and will gain a sense of the national student movement. Sophomore Re-commitment Activity All Bonner Scholars are required to participate in a re-commitment activity held during the spring semester of their sophomore year. The main purpose of this activity is to help students focus on a reflective evaluation of their experience as a Bonner Scholar and participate in vision planning for their next level of his/her involvement as a servant leader. When making life choices, such as college persistence, choosing a major, or identifying a career path, Bonners must acknowledge the costs and opportunities that each choice allows. The Re-commitment activity requires students to reflect and consider, “Is what I’m doing or about to do with the Bonner Scholars Program getting me closer to my objective(s)?” Through guided individual and/or small group discussions, Bonners will discuss what is at the core of their commitments. The will leave students with a renewed sense of commitment to the Bonner Scholars Program. Senior Presentation of Learning Every Bonner Scholar should make a “presentation of learning and community impact” to an audience of other Bonner Scholars and Bonner Advisory Committee members. Bonner Scholars are encouraged to invite site supervisors and staff at sites they have worked at, people who have participated in or benefited from service they have been involved with, their faculty advisers or other faculty members, friends and family members. Please Note: You may include site supervisors, agency staff, and/or beneficiaries as a part of your presentation; however, please limit their speaking/presentation time. We want to know what YOU have LEARNED, not the “ins and outs” of your agency. The Senior Presentation of Learning should sum up the Bonner Scholar’s experiences in the program and should focus on how the Bonner Program has impacted his/her life. The presentation should either be on synthesizing the overall experience and describing specific skills, knowledge and insights gained as a Bonner and/or should focus on a specific service issue area or event that greatly impacted the student as an individual or professional. The Senior Presentation of Learning MUST be interactive and may include videos, photographs, essays, poems, etc. Students may use PowerPoint or other presentation media, but it is not required. Students may also choose to work in pairs if he/she has worked at the same site and/or feels the program has impacted him/her in a similar way. Individual presentations should last between 15-20 minutes, whereas those presenting in pairs should spend approximately 15 minutes each presenting, such that their presentation would last no longer than 30-35 minutes. Graduating seniors should sign-up to present either in the fall or spring semester. Specific dates will be made available at the beginning of each semester.


Senior Exit Survey Each graduating Bonner Scholar is required to participate in a program exit survey. The survey will be provided to you during your last one-on-one meeting with the Bonner Coordinator or Director. You will be expected to turn in the exit survey with your end-of-semester paperwork. Student Impact Surveys Bonner Scholars may be asked to complete Bonner Student Impact Surveys during their first semester as a Bonner Scholar, first semester as a junior, and second semester as a senior. These confidential surveys are used by the Bonner Foundation and Concord University to compare the growth of Bonner Scholars and their programs over their time as a Bonner Scholar. Additional Program Requirements All Concord Bonner Scholars must abide by the following, additional program requirements:

• Maintain a 2.5 cumulative Grade Point Average during his/her tenure as a student. • Enroll in the Social Work 350: Introduction to Community Service class offered in the fall semester

of his/her freshmen year. • Participate in Bonner sponsored special events, off-campus activities, conferences, and service

projects as required. • Participate fully in the Bonner program by assuming leadership roles and providing assistance with

Bonner projects as needed.

Policies & Procedures Concord University Honor Code All members of Concord University – students, faculty, and staff – are expected to behave in appropriate ways to foster a positive and respectful living and learning environment. The Honor Code embodies the importance of academic and personal honesty and integrity, while embracing the concept of mutual responsibility. The Concord University Honor Code states: “As a member of the Concord University Community I will act with honesty and integrity in accordance with our fundamental principles and I will respect myself and others while challenging them to do the same.” Bonner Scholar Code of Conduct Each Bonner Scholar serves as a representative of Concord University and the Bonner Scholars Program, and should therefore make responsible decisions at all times. Each Bonner Scholar is expected to maintain a high level of integrity and set an example for their peers and those whom they serve. Some guidelines are as follows:

• Students will agree to not accept any form of payment for service completed during the school year (unless provided through the Federal Student Financial Aid Work Study program).

• Cellular phones are not permitted to be used during Bonner meetings or at your service placement. Texting, talking, or surfing the Web are inappropriate uses of your time during scheduled Bonner meetings and events.


• Please inform your site supervisor if you cannot make it to your service site at your scheduled time. Think of your service site as a job; dress appropriately, show up on time, be respectful, and follow the rules.

• If conflicts and/or problems arise at your service site, please contact the Bonner Coordinator or Director directly. Do not complain to or about your supervisor at your agency.

• Check your mail and e-mail on a regular basis. Failure to check your e-mail is NOT an excuse for missing required meetings and/or paperwork deadlines.

• Whether at your service site or at a Bonner meeting always keep an open mind and be willing to try new things. You never know what you might discover about yourself or someone who you meet!

• Be willing and eager to give of your time and your talents. • Always work to the very best of your ability. Don’t simply settle for meeting agency expectations,

but instead, exceed agency expectations in every way possible. • Maintain a positive attitude! We encourage “cheerful givers” – so put a smile on your face and

have some fun! The inability to uphold the standards of the Concord Bonner Scholars Program may result in the Scholar’s dismissal from the Program. Bonner Scholar Zero Tolerance Policy While it should be obvious that we expect each Bonner Scholar to uphold values of honesty and integrity when serving in the Bonner Program, we have unfortunately witnessed a rise in the falsification of time records, student evaluations, and budget documentation over the years, such that, we now find it necessary to implement a “zero-tolerance” policy. The Bonner Foundation requires that you keep accurate records of all volunteer hours and submit proper electronic and/or hard copy signatures from appropriate site supervisors to verify hours served. By falsifying time records, submitting forged signatures/evaluations, and/or falsifying receipt documentation your are stealing from the Bonner Foundation and setting a very poor precedent at your service site for future Bonner Scholars. If you find yourself in a desperate situation where you cannot complete your Bonner Hours or you lose receipts from your living stipend, please contact the Bonner Director or Bonner Coordinator immediately, as they are willing to work with you. Should you choose to falsify any documentation (yes – even just one hour) you will be immediately terminated from the Bonner Scholars Program. No exceptions. Please note that dismissal from the Bonner Scholars Program would mean that you don’t only lose your Bonner scholarship, but that you will also lose any “Bonner Match” money, which might be included as a part of your financial aid package. For some students, Bonner Match monies could mean thousands of dollars of financial aid. Should you falsify documentation, you will also be responsible for reimbursing the Bonner Program for any funds received with false documentation and you may receive additional sanctions through the CU student disciplinary process, including suspension or expulsion from the University.


Attendance Policy All-Bonner and Class meetings are a mandatory part of the Bonner Program. Bonner Scholars are strongly encouraged to attend every activity and meeting and to be on time. Bonner Scholars may miss one All- Bonner and/or Class meeting per semester without reason and without any negative consequences. Unless students provide the Bonner Coordinator with prior notice of his/her tardiness (i.e., class conflict; doctor’s appointment; etc.), students who are more than 15 minutes late to any All-Bonner or Class meeting will be counted as absent for that meeting. If you have a valid reason for missing a meeting or required event, you must turn in an excuse form to the Bonner House. This excuse must be turned in within two weeks of the missed meeting/event. If it is not turned in within two weeks, this will count as an unexcused absence. If there are extenuating circumstances preventing you from turning in the excuse in a timely manner, you should speak with the Bonner Coordinator. If you have an activity that interferes on a regular basis (i.e., service placement; other job; extracurricular club; etc.), you should make every effort to adjust your schedule accordingly in order to attend Bonner activities. If you are unsure if an absence will be excused, please check with the Bonner Coordinator before you miss! The following fines will be taken out of your final check for each unexcused Bonner meeting/activity missed:

One Absence $15.00 Two Absences $25.00 Three Absences $35.00 Four or more Absences $50.00

Hours Banking Hours: Bonner Scholars must complete a minimum of 140 hours of service each semester. In general, students are not permitted to “bank” hours during certain terms of service (one month or more) that will then be applied to meet the service expectation in future terms. However, occasionally, and with good cause, the Bonner Coordinator or Director may approve a Bonner Scholar’s request to “bank” up to 20 hours worked in one semester to count toward the hours required for the next semester. Students wishing to carry hours from one semester to the following semester must submit an e-mail request to the Bonner Coordinator. Please note: if you received payment for your summer service hours, you cannot carry those hours over to the fall semester because you are not permitted to receive payment for service conducted during the fall and spring terms. Students should continue to log their hours on the days they actually participated in service; however, it is important that when turning in hours for the term that he/she prints out the previous semester’s carry-over hours and has their hour logs signed by their site supervisor. Making Up Hours: Students are expected to complete at least 140 hours of service per semester. He/she will not have an opportunity to make up any hours missed. Please contact the Bonner Coordinator if you have having difficulty obtaining the minimum required number of hours.


Incomplete Hours: The Bonner Scholarship is $1,250.00 per semester. This number divided by the required 140 hours per semester is equal to $8.93. Therefore, for every incomplete hour in a semester, $8.93 will be deducted from your final paycheck. If you have extenuating circumstances, you may appeal to the Bonner Director in writing within 10 days of receiving a notice of incomplete hours. The Bonner Love Student Leadership Committee will review your appeal and will respond with a decision within 10 days. If the Student Leadership Committee is not available or if you wish to appeal decision made by the committee, your request will go to the Vice President of Student Affairs. You may further submit your appeal and/or grievance to the Bonner Foundation at 10 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ 08540. Late Fees Bonner Scholars will be made aware of all paperwork deadlines prior to the start of the semester and/or summer term. Therefore, a late fee of $25.00 will be imposed for any late paperwork, including late timesheets; community learning agreements; site evaluations; student evaluations; reflective writings; and midterm one-on-one meetings. If an issue arises, please inform the Bonner Coordinator prior to the deadline so he/she can examine your situation and determine the appropriate action. Bonner staff will work with you as long as we know in advance of extenuating circumstances. Leaves of Absence Students may take a leave of absence from the Bonner Scholars Program and/or the University and still remain eligible for the remainder of their four years of Bonner Scholarship support. The Foundation will cease allocating Bonner Scholarship funds for students on leave; however, a place will remain available for them upon their return unless he/she wishes to withdraw from the program or from Concord University. If a student who withdraws during their leave is replaced by another student, but then subsequently decides to return to college, the replaced student must join the pool of replacement candidates to be considered for re-admission into the program. Any Bonner Scholar considering a leave of absence from Concord University and/or the Bonner Scholars program should discuss this with the Bonner Director or Coordinator. Bonner staff can help students consider various options and the pros and cons of each possibility so that the student can make an informed decision. Recruitment & Selection of Bonners Academic Requirements: Each incoming Bonner Scholar must meet the following academic criteria:

• Meet the academic standards required for admission to Concord University • Graduate in the top 40% of his/her high school class. Note that exceptions may be made on an

individual basis, including exceptions for students who have earned a Graduated Equivalency Degree (GED).

• Demonstrate a commitment to making connections between their service activities and their academic life.

Community Service Requirements: Every incoming Bonner Scholar must demonstrate that he/she has held a role(s) with significant responsibility at home, in church, at school, or in their community.


Financial Requirements: The following financial criteria are required by the Bonner Program: • No less than 85% of the incoming class must have parental contribution below $10,000.00 and the

average parental contribution of this group must be at or below $6,000.00. • No more than 15% of the incoming students may have parental contributions above $10,000.00. • Changes in parental contribution after the first-year will not disqualify a Bonner. However, every

effort is made when selecting incoming Bonners to assure that the program helps those students with the greatest financial need.

Diversity Requirements: The Bonner Scholars Program, as a whole, must achieve the gender balance that exists at the college. Every attempt should be made to increase the ethnic diversity of the incoming class as compared to the college as a whole. The goal is to at least double the minority representation in the Bonner Scholars Program as compared to the overall student body. Replacement Bonner Scholars First and Second year Bonner Scholars who withdraw from the Bonner Scholars program for any reason may be replaced up until the beginning of the junior year. All Bonner replacements must have a parental contribution below $12,000.00 and must be in the same class as the student they are replacing. Additionally, Bonner replacements should hold at least a 2.5 Grade-Point Average and have a minimum of 2 years remaining at Concord. The replacement Bonner will be eligible for as many semesters of Bonner Scholarship support as were remaining to the student being replaced. A “Change of Status” Form for every replacement Bonner Scholar must be submitted and approved by the Foundation prior to the student being sent an acceptance letter by the program. Students cannot replace Bonner Scholars mid-semester or mid-summer. Please note that replacement Bonner Scholars are expected to complete one summer service experience and are eligible for $1,000.00 towards their Living Stipend. An additional $500.00 is available for scholars completing service the summer before their senior year. Furthermore, replacement Bonner Scholars are able to utilize the loan reduction benefits; however the loan reduction will be calculated by subtracting $125.00 per missed semester for the maximum of $1,600.00. Once selected, Replacement Bonners must maintain at least a 2.5 Grade-Point Average and must devote 10 or more hours a week to the Bonner Program. All replacement students are required to take Social Work 350: Introduction to Community Service. Transfer Bonner Scholars A Bonner Scholar in good standing who transfers to another Bonner college is eligible to transfer their scholarship to that school, but he/she is not guaranteed a spot. While transfer Bonner Scholars will be given first priority, he/she must join the pool of other replacement Bonner Scholar candidates and go through the same application and selection procedure. Transportation & Vehicles Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to their service site. Therefore, if a situation arises in which a student is unable to provide his/her transportation, then he/she should contact the Bonner Coordinator in order to find a site in walking distance from the campus.


Juniors and seniors may transport fellow Bonner Scholars to conferences and/or out of town service sites in either the University vehicles or a rental vehicle; however they must provide a valid driver’s license to campus security and must take an online driving course to be covered under the University’s risk management policy. Withdrawal & Dismissal Any student who is questioning his/her fit within the Bonner Scholars program is encouraged to speak with the Bonner Coordinator or Bonner Director as soon as possible. Staff members will be able to assist students in assessing whether their concerns are temporary or if they truly represent factors which may hinder fulfilling and/or successful participation in the program as a whole. The Coordinator and/or Director will work with the student to explore options for ways to try to improve the program experience and/or the student’s performance within the program; however, the student has the ultimate right to decide if and when to voluntarily withdraw from the program. There is absolutely no penalty or shame to resigning from the program. We understand that for some individuals, for whatever reason, the Bonner Program is simply not a good “fit.” Please address any and all concerns to the Bonner Coordinator and/or Director immediately. If students fall out of “good standing” with the Bonner Scholars Program, they will be placed on warning and will enter into a probation period, which will often last the duration of the semester. During this time, students will meet one-on-one with the Bonner Coordinator in order to try to develop a plan, which would allow them to successfully carry out their duties. A student’s failure to follow through with the action plan may result in dismissal from the program. In some instances, students may be immediately dismissed from the Bonner Scholars Program, without warning. Such instances might include, falsifying time records, acting inappropriately at his/her service site, and/or violating University policies. IMPORTANT!! If a student is receiving “Bonner Match” as a part of his/her financial aid package, he/she will lose all Bonner Match monies if he/she voluntarily resigns from the program or is dismissed from the program. For some students, Bonner Match monies could mean THOUSANDS of dollars of financial aid; therefore, please consider the potential financial consequences before your voluntarily resignation or forced dismissal from the program. Concord Bonner Student Committees & Roles Bonner Congress Representatives The Bonner Congress representatives serve as liaisons between all of the Bonners at their school and the larger Bonner community and the Bonner Foundation. In order to carry out this role, it is expected that representatives are familiar with and active in their school’s Bonner community and the larger Bonner community. Representatives must also be committed to gathering and communicating feedback and opinions from all of their fellow Bonners (not just representing their own perspective or personal opinion).


Bonner Congress representatives are expected to attend Bonner Congress meetings held annually at different Bonner schools. The fall Bonner Congress usually takes place in the month of October/November. Bonner Congress also meets during the Summer Leadership Institute held in June. Concord University has 2-3 Bonner Congress representatives, who also serve on the Bonner Love Student Leadership Committee. Bonner Congress representatives are selected by the Bonner Director and/or Coordinator at the beginning of each year. Representatives are asked to make a significant commitment to the position and should plan to spend about 20 hours per semester, including weekly correspondence and projects. Students should not accept the position if they foresee that they will be unable to honor such commitments. Bonner Love Committee The Bonner Love committee provides student leadership for the Concord Bonner Scholars Program. The Bonner Director and/or Coordinator will seek at least 2 volunteers, from each class, at the beginning of the academic semester to serve on committee. The Bonner Love committee usually meets on a weekly basis. The committee serves as the “student voice” for Concord Bonner Scholars. They provide general feedback to the Bonner Director and/or Coordinator and offer insight into potential policy/procedure changes. The committee also reviews student appeals, questionable absences/excuses, and Community Fund requests. The Bonner Love committee also plans and implements campus-wide service activities sponsored by Bonners. Communications Intern The Communications Intern is a part-time or full-time service position. He/She is appointed at the beginning of the fall semester and is responsible for helping to improve communication between the Bonner staff and students. He/She must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills and must pay close attention to detail. A large part of the Communication Intern’s responsibilities include recording attendance and reminding students of missed meetings and/or upcoming events. Furthermore, the Communications Intern must be a visionary with a desire to create initiatives. He/She will work on projects that make the flow of information easier to understand and obtain for both the staff and students. Senior Intern Each year, the Bonner Foundation allows one Bonner senior to fulfill his/her Bonner service requirement by working in the Bonner office on campus assisting Bonner program staff in the overall operation of the program. Senior interns have the opportunity to carry out a wide variety of tasks and are expected to take a leadership role within the Bonner program. Interns will be selected based on their prior commitment to the Bonner Program. At the beginning of each semester the senior intern will establish a mutually satisfactory schedule of office hours with the Bonner Coordinator and will be required to complete Bonner paperwork throughout the semester (i.e., Community Learning Agreement; site evaluation; etc.) treating the Bonner office as they would any other service site and viewing their work within the context of the Bonner developmental model.


Senior interns may optionally spend up to three hours per week working at another service site within the community if, for example, they have a long-standing relationship with an organization or wish to carry out a specific project or learn a skill that cannot be accomplished through the senior intern position. Job descriptions may vary based on the senior intern’s skill level and interests, however, senior interns will typically be expected to work to support relationships with community partners, design or coordinate training and enrichment activities that support the student development model, research academic connections, support the implementation of administrative details (like BWBRS), and take responsibility for projects, such as event planning and/or creating publications. Spirit Coordinator In order to enhance community among Bonner Scholars, each academic year an individual will be appointed Spirit Coordinator. He/She will serve approximately 25-50% of their required semester hours in the Bonner House planning, organizing, and implementing program activities available to all Bonner Scholars. The Spirit Coordinator is given a semester budget and is expected to creatively and strategically plan unique activities that will appeal to the various interests of Scholars. These events should be “fun” in nature and should always provide a spirit of inclusion. The Sprit Coordinator is expected to serve on the Bonner Love Committee and receive input from the entire Bonner community regarding what activities to plan. Under supervision of the Bonner Coordinator, the Sprit Coordinator will be responsible for all aspects of planning – from recruiting volunteers to program implementation. If you are interested in serving as the Spirit Coordinator, please contact the Bonner Director or Coordinator to complete an application. Successful candidates must be an active Bonner Scholar; must demonstrate a commitment & enthusiasm to the Bonner Scholars program and thus be in “good standing;” must possess effective time management and verbal/nonverbal communication skills; must demonstrate experience or willingness to lead, plan, & organize; and should have a willingness or ability to market activities using traditional or new media channels. Summer Intern Each summer, a Bonner Intern will be selected to work closely with the Bonner Director and Coordinator in planning service projects and events for the upcoming academic year. The Summer Intern is expected to play a large role in planning, organizing, and implementing activities and arrangements for Freshmen Orientation. Please contact the Bonner Coordinator or Director should you be interested in fulfilling this part-time or full-time role.


Bonner, Service, & Leadership Conferences The following conferences focus on service and/or student leadership. Depending on location and funding, Concord will send as many individuals as possible to each conference. Students who wish to attend a conference should contact the Bonner Coordinator to find out more information. If you personally find a conference of interest to you or others that is not listed below, please contact the Bonner Coordinator to find out potential funding made available to you. Bonner Student Congress As an advisory council to the Bonner Foundation, the Bonner Student Congress provides information and opportunities for leadership to the Bonner Program. The Bonner Congress represents more than 2,500 students and connects over 70 college campuses through the Bonner Scholar and Bonner Leader Programs. The mission of the Bonner Congress is to engage student representatives from each campus who are knowledgeable about and able to communicate Foundation activities and perspectives to their peers, as well as share student perspectives on a number of issues with the Foundation and the Bonner Program at large. Gulf-South Summit Conference on Service-Learning The Gulf-South Summit Conference on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement through Higher Education is to promote networking among practitioners, research, ethical practices, reciprocal campus-community partnerships, sustainable programs, and a culture of engagement and public awareness through service-learning and other forms of civic engagement. For more information regarding the Summit, please visit: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/gulfsummit/index.html IMPACT Conference The Action IMPACT Conference is historically the largest national gathering of student leaders, administrators, faculty, and nonprofit staff committed to engaging students in service, advocacy, and other socially responsible work. This annual event continues and builds on the legacy of the COOL National Conference, which was one of the first national organizations to promote and support college student involvement in thoughtful community service and civic engagement. For more information regarding the IMPACT Conference, please visit: http://www.impactconference.org/ Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) Each summer, in early June, students, faculty, staff, and community partners from more than 80 national colleges and universities come together for the Summer Leadership Institute (SLI). Individuals committed to and engaged in service and civic engagement to strengthen their communities, nation, and world, participate in workshops which focus on a myriad of issues, including the arts, community economic development, education, health, homelessness, hunger, and youth development.


Service Opportunities The following is a list of approved Bonner Scholar Service sites located in West Virginia. If you wish to work with a site other than those listed, please verify that it is a nonprofit organization and submit a position and service site description to the Bonner Coordinator via e-mail. 4-H Youth Development Service Areas: Youth, Education, Mentoring 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization. More than 6 million 4-H youth in urban neighborhoods, suburban schoolyards, and rural farming communities stand out among their peers: building revolutionary opportunities and implementing community-wide change at an early age. 4-H fosters an innovative, “learn by doing” approach with proven results. Youth engaged in 4-H are nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school; nearly two times more likely to plan to go to college; 41% less likely to engage in risky behaviors; and 25% more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities. Volunteers are needed in many WV counties to be the leaders of individual 4-H clubs. These leaders must be motivated and organized individuals as their job is to take charge of an entire club and keep the club accountable to the local extension services office. Volunteers may also choose to serve as a Project Leader, working with a 4-H club underneath the organizational leader. The project leader is the liaison between the children, the parents, and the organization. American Red Cross Service Areas: Disaster Relief, Community Development, Community Education, Health The American Red Cross helps prepare communities for emergencies and keep people safe every day thanks to volunteers who support their work. Every year the Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters; approximately 11 million Americans learn first aid, CPR, swimming and other health and safety skills; and half of the nation’s blood supply (6 million pints annually) is collected by more than 155,000 Red Cross volunteers. Volunteers will be trained to teach classes that help people prepare for the unexpected – whether through disaster, education classes, First Aid and CPR training, or water safety instruction for children. Black Diamond Girl Scout Council Service Areas: Mentoring, Youth, Children The mission of the Black Diamond Girl Scout Council is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council serves more than 20,000 girls each year in 59 counties in West Virginia, Ohio, Virginia, and Maryland. Volunteers are needed to serve as a troop leader, a troop helper, an event coordinator, or a camp volunteer. Bluefield Union Mission Service Areas: Basic Needs, Clothing, Disaster Relief, Housing, Homelessness As many as 30 million people in the United States go hungry every day, and estimates of homelessness range from 750,000 to 1 million individuals on any given night. Rescue Missions, such as the Bluefield Union Mission, located in Bluefield, WV provide havens of hope for the lost and lonely.


Volunteers are needed to help with daily projects, including the daily lunch program, food pantry, and clothing closet. Volunteers are also needed for special events on holidays, etc. Carpenter’s Corner Service Areas: Basic Needs, Homelessness Carpenter’s Corner is a community kitchen in downtown Beckley that serves lunch from 11:00 to 1:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, each week to approximately 85 persons each day. Volunteers are needed to help serve meals. CASE (Mercer County) Service Areas: Youth, Early-Education, Mentoring, Tutoring, Crisis Pregnancy, Housing, Elderly Community Action of South Eastern West Virginia (CASE) is one of 16 community action agencies in the state, which seeks to provide services and information that improve people’s lives and embodies the spirit of home regardless of age, gender, race, or financial status. Programs include Head Start (i.e., early learning programs for children ages 0-5; health & nutrition; indoor/outdoor play; educational activities; etc.); Project Yes (i.e., abstinence education; teen centered events; parent seminars; positive relationships; etc.); Senior In-Home Care; and Housing initiatives. Children’s Home Society: WE CAN Program Service Areas: Youth, Mentoring, Community Outreach/Events The WE CAN (Working to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect) Mentoring Program matches children who are victims of child abuse and neglect with community volunteers in an effort to prevent the reoccurrence of child abuse/neglect in the families served. The WE CAN volunteer program recruits, trains, and makes volunteers available to Child Protective Services (CPS) workers to mentor a child for a minimum of 2 hours per week. The program provides the mentors and mentees with community activities to teach the child about the positive aspects of the community and provide the mentor and mentee with an opportunity to hang out in a safe environment. Part-Time volunteers are needed to commit to serving as a mentor to children at-risk in Mercer County for a period of at least six months. The mentors will have regular contact of at least 2 hours each week with the children and will build positive relationships with them. Chuck Mathena Center Service Areas: Arts The mission of the Chuck Mathena Center, located in Princeton, WV, is to serve the southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia region by providing the greater community with a venue that offers a variety of cultural, educational, and theatrical events, while also providing the community a form for gatherings and special functions. The goal of the Chuck Mathena Center is to foster the appreciation of the arts to the underserved sector of the state of West Virginia, and to provide a culturally diverse array of opportunities to all members of the community, including students, senior citizens, and the disabled population. Volunteers are needed to serve in a number of capacities, including as a receptionist, tour guide, and as a creative caretaker. Tour Guides are responsible for leading behind the scenes tours of the Chuck Mathena Center, and should tailor tour content to specific group interests and abilities. Shifts are available Monday through Friday from 11:00 – 3:00 pm. Creative Caretakers are responsible for making sure every room in


the center exceeds the patron’s expectations. Jobs include set-up and tear down for events, maintaining indoor and outdoor plants, dusting, vacuuming, and other cleaning jobs. Shifts are flexible. Community Connections Service Areas: Family Resource Center Community Connections is the recognized Family Resource Network of Mercer County. Community Connections works with multiple partners and has programs that reach regionally through a grant from the Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities and the Division of Tobacco Prevention. These partnerships create a “prevention without borders” strategy that allows a collaborative work process to achieve positive outcomes. Volunteers are needed to assist in promoting programming for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America and SADD. Volunteers will be expected to attend conferences and work with peers to create new ideas to bring to the community. Volunteers will be responsible for training and leading troubled teens away from making destructive decisions. *Concord Child Development Center Service Areas: Youth, Mentoring, Tutoring Concord University, in partnership with Community Action of Southeastern West Virginia, operates a licensed day care program, conveniently located on campus, for children aged 3 months through 13 years. Volunteers are needed to mentor and tutor elementary and/or middle school children who are struggling academically. Volunteers will also provide homework support and independent lessons to build the child’s skills in areas identified by the Instructor. GlenWood Park Retirement Village Service Areas: Elderly The GlenWood Park Retirement Village is a continuing care retirement community established in 1986 by the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. The Retirement Village offers independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care. Numerous volunteer opportunities are available and almost all positions have flexible hours/schedules. Some service ideas include: delivering mail/flowers to residents; serving as a group leader (i.e., garden group, current events group, etc.); leading an arts and crafts class; providing sewing and mending for residents; leading or assisting with BINGO; writing letters for individuals who cannot write themselves; assisting or leading special events (i.e., seasonal parties); and more. Other ideas and opportunities are welcomed…just ask! Labor of Love Mission Service Areas: Basic Needs, Health The Labor of Love Mission was established to help stamp out poverty in Appalachia. The Mission provides services to help the distressed, poor, and underprivileged. Services include: distributing commodities and food all year long; providing Christmas to children by way of food, clothing, toys, and other gifts; helping those without prescription insurance obtain long-term, physician prescribed medications free of charge; providing haircuts to school age children free of charge; providing school supplies to all school age children; providing clothing to all in need; providing furniture and other items to all in need.


Mercer County Animal Shelter Service Areas: Animal Care The new Mercer County Animal Shelter opened on June 1, 2007, with 44 dog runs, 8 puppy runs, and an expanded cat room. The shelter also provides after-hours drop off. The Animal Shelter seeks volunteers who love and have a passion for animals. Jobs for volunteers include cleaning cages; laundry; cleaning; and providing care for the animals. Mercer County Commission on Aging: Senior Center Service Areas: Basic Needs, Health, Elderly The Mercer County Senior Center provides community and in-home services to the aging population. Volunteers are needed to lead group recreational activities for the seniors who attend nutrition/activity centers. Volunteers are also needed to help with leading BINGO games. Mercer County Head Start Program Service Areas: Youth, Mentoring, Education, School Preparation Mercer County Head Start is a free income based program for 3-5 year olds. Head Start provides breakfast and lunch, creative curriculum based learning, and basic learning for young children to advance to Kindergarten. Head Start is a friendly learning environment and encourages parent involvement. Volunteers are needed to serve as Classroom Aides and Bus Monitors. Classroom Aids assist the Lead Classroom Instructor with activities, such as reading to the children, whereas volunteer Bus Monitors are expected to ride the busses with the children in the morning and the afternoon to help ensure their safety. Bus rides are from 7:00-8:00 am and 12:00 noon – 1:00pm. *Mercer County Public Schools Service Areas: Youth, Education, Mentoring, Tutoring Mercer County Schools, including Athens, Bluefield, Princeton, and Pikeview has a population of approximately 9,000 students and employs over 1,300 people. The Mercer County Public Schools offer a broad curriculum encompassing Basic Skills, Advanced Placement, Career Connections, High Schools That Work, Technical Education, Distance Learning, Internet and Computer Technology in all schools, Special Needs Programs, IASA Title I, Dual Credit Courses, JROTC, Adult Literacy Programs, Alternative Education Programs, Community Education, and adult evening classes at the Mercer County Technical Education Center. Volunteers are needed to serve as tutors, mentors, teaching assistants, and more. Volunteers may assist in preparing or implementing lessons, spending one-on-one time tutoring advanced or at-risk students, and providing extra classroom assistance. Pam’s Place Service Areas: Battered Women, Violence Prevention, Fundraising Pam’s Place is a nonprofit shelter, which serves as a safe haven for battered women and children in Mercer, Tazewell, Bland, and Monroe counties. Pam’s Place helps get battered women back on their feet emotionally and physically. Pam’s Place also includes a thrift store, in which 100% of its profits are used to fund programs and scholarships the foundation works to finance.


Volunteers are needed to collect, organize, and price donations; assist customers; and provide cleaning and general maintenance of the store. Piney Creek Watershed Association Service Areas: Environment, Watershed Protection Piney Creek Watershed Association, located in Beckley, WV, is a volunteer non-profit organization founded in 2004 by the local government, business, and community members. Its mission is to improve and protect the water resources within the Piney Creek watershed by educating the community about water quality issues and performing service projects. Volunteers are needed at Piney Creek to assist with activities, such as stream monitoring, stream clean-ups, and door-to-door recycling campaigns. Pipestem State Park Service Areas: Environment, Recreation Since the inception of the West Virginia State Park system in the late 1920’s, its mission has been to promote conservation by preserving and protecting natural areas of unique or exceptional scenic, scientific, cultural, archaeological, or historical significance and to provide outdoor recreational opportunities for the citizens of the state and its visitors. Pipestem State Park thrives because of its volunteers who are used for almost every aspect of the park, including bird banding, trail maintenance, storytelling, nature center operation, and teaching recreational activities, etc. Planet Xtreme Teen Center Service Areas: Adolescent Youth, Mentoring The Planet Xtreme Teen Center is a nonprofit recreational center designed to give teens within Southern West Virginia something productive and positive to participate in after school. The center is located in Princeton, WV and seeks volunteers to serve as positive role models. Volunteers will be responsible for interacting with youth during after-school activities and weekend events; cleaning; cooking; providing staff for Bug Juice concert events; mentoring; and other duties as assigned. Princeton Community Hospital Service Areas: Basic Needs, Health, Elderly Princeton Community Hospital has well-trained and highly motivated professionals who are able to provide quality health care services for the citizens of Mercer and surrounding counties. The hospital’s many specialties and technological advancements place it as it on the leading edge of medical treatment in southern West Virginia. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work at a volunteer station, such as the main desk, where they will be expected to interact with patient’s families, transport discharged patients, and make deliveries to patients that are in-house. Raleigh General Hospital Service Areas: Basic Needs, Health, Elderly Since 1921, Raleigh General Hospital has helped people in the Beckley, West Virginia community to achieve better health. They offer community outreach programs and provide critical services to people who might not otherwise have access to them. Volunteers work to facilitate patient, patient-family, and staff relationships. Duties include anything from patient transport to mail delivery.


Second Chance Learning Center Service Areas: Youth, Mentoring, Tutoring, Education The Second Chance Learning Center seeks to address the increased school dropout rate in Southwest Virginia by providing free counseling, tutoring, and mentoring for middle and high school students with social and educational problems. The Second Chance Learning Center (SCLC) works with public school teachers, who identify teenagers and young adults with extra needs. Volunteers are needed to tutor students who are at-risk in the areas of math, science, social studies, and language arts. Scottie’s Place Service Areas: Youth, Mentoring, Tutoring, Homelessness Scottie’s Place is a nonprofit organization with the mission to empower, educate, and enliven impoverished, homeless and at-risk children. Established in 1999 as a year-round therapeutic adventure camp in the mountains of West Virginia, Scottie’s Place has served over four hundred children from homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and impoverished families. Scottie’s Place expanded its programs in 2007 to address the academic needs of the children. Programs are offered free of charge to all participants. After-School Tutors and Saturday Adventure Leaders are needed to help meet the mission of Scottie’s Place. As an after-school tutor, you would work in small groups with children, providing homework assistance, tutoring, and mentoring in a variety of activities, which are designed to “empower, educate, and enliven.” The Saturday Adventure program serves homeless children from local shelters in Virginia and West Virginia. Volunteers are needed to join in the fun and adventure and befriend a homeless child. Saturday Adventures last from 10:00 – 7:00 on Saturdays. Tender Mercies Ministries Service Areas: Basic Needs, Poverty, Hunger Tender Mercies Ministries is a food pantry for the needy started by Reverend Harry Christie in 1983 in the basement of Princeton Presbyterian Church. Tender Mercies Ministries seek to help single mothers, senior citizens on fixed incomes, and others within the community who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security, or welfare. Volunteers are needed to assist with the screening of applicants. Additionally, Tender Mercies Ministries is in search of Food Pantry Workers who could assist with filling boxes with groceries and distributing them to families. Shifts are available from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon or 1:15pm – 3:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. United Way of the Virginias Service Areas: Community-Building, Grant-Writing Local United Ways create long-lasting community change by addressing the underlying causes of the most significant local issues. Common focus areas include helping children and youth achieve their potential, promoting financial stability and independence, and improving people’s health. The goal is to create long-lasting changes by addressing the underlying causes of problems. Volunteers are needed to receive and review materials from organizations requesting funding. Training sessions are provided. Volunteers will have the opportunity to interview prospective organizations and present their recommendations to the Board of Directors. All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and must live in Mercer, McDowell, Bland, Buchanan, or Tazewell counties.


*Upward Bound Service Areas: Youth Program Enrichment, Education, Mentoring, College Preparation Upward Bound provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. Upward Bound provides services to high school students from low-income families and/or from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education. Volunteers are needed to interact with, counsel, and inspire high school students. WADE Center Service Areas: At-Risk Youth, Mentoring, Tutoring, Education The Wade Center exists to nurture Bluefield’s children and youth and their families spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually through practical programs and mentoring relationships. Wade hosts an after-school program for children in grades 1-8 from Monday to Thursday. The children are served a hot meal and learn about sports, dance, music, art, computers and more! Volunteers are needed to help the children with homework and/or plan creative recreation or artistic activities. Wade also hosts mission trips year-round and is looking to start a Boys and Girls club for middle school students in the upcoming months. West Virginia on the Move Service Areas: Health, Wellness West Virginia on the Move, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that has been at the forefront of initiating, supporting and collaborating with individuals, communities, and government to promote a physically active lifestyle in West Virginia since 2004. Whether it’s helping senior citizens learn modern exercise technology, building walking tracks that serve communities and schools, or promoting awareness of the benefits of a physically active lifestyle, West Virginia on the Move offers leadership, expertise, and best practices. Volunteers are needed throughout the year to help with data collection, entry, and analysis resulting from one of West Virginia on the Move’s many ongoing programs. Working on these projects provides a hands-on opportunity with all aspects of a community health intervention. Accurate data entry skills and analytical abilities are a must for this service position. Women in Search of Equality (WISE) Service Areas: Feminine Rights, Basic Needs, Mentoring Women in Search of Equality (WISE) of Mercer County work to provide disadvantaged women attire as they train or study to enter the workforce. Women come from various backgrounds such as domestic violence, disabilities, drugs, or natural disasters. WISE is in search of mentors to serve as “Big Sisters” to clients who have found employment by providing positive reinforcement and support. Note A: (*) = local sites (on-campus or within walking distance). Note B: Bonners are encouraged to take on leadership roles within the program; therefore, if you would like to work on a unique, individual project with or without an assigned agency, please contact the Bonner Coordinator for more information regarding how your “Big Idea” and/or issue-based project could be supported through the Bonner House.


References Many of the above guidelines, policies, and procedures provided in this handbook were adapted and/or taken directly from the Bonner Foundation, the Earlham College Bonner Scholars Program Handbook, and/or the Berea College Bonner Scholars Program Handbook.

Useful Resources BWBRS: www.concord.bwbrs.org The Bonner Web-Based Reporting System is where you will create Community Learning Agreements, log and keep track of hours, and update your service accomplishments. Bonner Network Wiki: www.bonnernetwork.pbworks.com The Bonner Network Wiki provides up-to-date information on Bonner news, conferences, initiatives, and issues. It brings multiple Bonner programs and campuses across the nation together to share their best practices, programs, and initiatives. Bonner Foundation Website: www.bonner.org This website provides a plethora of information. All Bonners are encouraged to visit the site and spend some time exploring the Bonner Partners, Rules, and Guidelines. CUBonners Wiki: www.cubonners.pbworks.com The CUBonners Wiki is a “one stop shop” for everything Bonner at Concord! Here you can check your attendance records; download the semester calendar, handbooks, and important Bonner documents; learn about local, national, and international community partners; and find out what is going on within student leadership. Be sure to create an account with the CUBonner Wiki so that you can remain up-to-date with the latest news and events! Facebook: www.facebook.com Show your support for Bonner and your passion for service by becoming a fan of Concord’s service Facebook pages, including CUServe, Concord Bonner Scholars, and/or Bonner House.

c concord bonner scholars - pbworkscubonners.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/63562353/concord... ·...

Documents