Bonner StaffingThe roles of directors, coordinators, students, and others

What We’ll Cover

• Bonner Program Staffing Standards

• Sample Staffing Structures

• Student Leadership Roles

• Bonner Senior Interns • Bonner Leadership Team (BLT) • Bonner Congress Representatives • Bonners as Campus-Wide Leaders

Bonner Program Staffing Standards

Staffing Standards

• 40 students: to 1 staff

• During Bonner Program start up: clarify roles of staff and appoint director

• Bonner Director reports to Senior Administrator

• Creatively leverage available staffing (e.g., work study, VISTAs placed with partners)

Staffing Structures

Start-Up Model: Grow Over Time

• Bonner Program director may wear multiple hats

• Begin with 5-10 students (usually freshmen with some upper class student leaders)

• Progressively add more students each year (by class)

• Link with campus-wide service programs from outset (for events, projects)

Bonner Program Director(manages Bonner Program)

Bonner Leaders(5-10 students — 2 serve as Congress Reps)

Other Campus Faculty/Staff(engaged in community service learning)

Site/Project Leaders(campus-wide volunteer management)

Intermediate Size Center

Bonner Program Director(overall management)

Other Campus Faculty/Staff(engaged in community service learning)

Center Director(manages Center & oversees Bonner Program)

VISTAs in management roles(training, enrichment, community partnerships)

Site/Project Leaders(for teams of students at 6-15 sites or clusters)

Bonner Senior Intern(s)(training, enrichment, community partnerships)

Bonner Congress Reps(Foundation link, student voice, special projects)

Bonner Student Leadership Team(class reps, committees, community fund)

Established Center: Continues to Build Staff

Bonner Program Director(overall management)

Other Campus Faculty/Staff(engaged in community service learning)

Center Director(manages Center & oversees Bonner Program)

VISTAs in management roles(training, enrichment, community partnerships)

Service Learning/CBR Staff(supporting academically-based service)

Community Work-Study Programs(i.e., America Reads, 1-2 year commitments by student)

Site/Project Leaders(for teams of students at 6-15 sites or clusters)

Other Student Service Projects/Clubs(1x or occasional service projects)

Bonner Senior Intern(s)(training, enrichment, community partnerships)

Bonner Congress Reps(Foundation link, student voice, special projects)

Bonner Student Leadership Team(class reps, committees, community fund)

Variation of Centers in Bonner Network

• Small centers (2-3 staff)  ◦ Ursinus College (PA). Student body: 1,650 students

2 full-time staff; 5 student fellows.   • Medium-sized centers (4-6 staff) 

◦ Spelman College (GA). Student body: 2,100 students 4 full-time staff.

• Large centers (7+ staff)  ◦ The College of New Jersey (NJ). Student body: 6,200 students

7 staff at the Bonner Institute for Civic and Community Engagement   ◦ Oberlin College (OH). Student body: 2,900 students

7 staff at the Bonner Center for Service and Learning.   • Very large centers (11+ staff) 

◦ University of Richmond (VA). Student body: 4,181 students 16 staff and faculty fellows at the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement.

Bonner Intern(s)

Bonner Interns

Who? • 1 - 4 motivated students, mostly rising Seniors or Juniors, who serve in key program management roles

How to pick?• Identify students who have strong understanding of

Bonner Program and/or how service is organized on your campus

• Groom students in junior year (or before)

What they do?

• Coordinate the Bonner Leadership Team (BLT) and students

• Organize and help lead meetings, training, & enrichment activities

• Help manage service sites, serving as a liaison• Help manage BWBRS

When & Where?• Senior Interns have track at Summer Leadership

Institute

• Many also were Congress Reps or attend Congress

Bonner Interns Training & Support

• Every summer and through online connections

• Intensive training

• Program management

• How to lead your peers

• How to design and lead workshops

• Download and use the Senior Intern Handbook

Bonner Leadership Team (BLT)

Bonner Leadership Team (BLT)

Who? • Student leaders who assist in the governance and visioning of a Bonner Program on campus

How to pick?• Determine the purpose of the team

• Decide where student voice is at the forefront of achieving Bonner Program goals

• Select or elect students to serve on the BLT

What they do?• Dependent on each school’s specific needs

• Serve as student leaders and help guide the Bonner Program in specific roles

When & Where? • Bonner Congress

• Bonner Summer Leadership Institute

•Class Based BLT

•Committee Based BLT

•Chair Based BLT

•Family Based BLT

BLT Structures

BLT Selection

• Consider size and diversity of program• BLT: 10-20%

• Early application process (early spring)• Written application• Interview

• Selection• Voting• Internal Appointment• Combination

BLT Training

•Orientation

•Strengths Assignment/Team Building

•Skill Development

Bonner Congress

Bonner Congress

Who?• Two motivated students from your BLT who show

leadership potential and a desire to improve your program, school, and community

• Willing to serve as a liaison between peers, the Foundation, and the Network

How to pick?• Educate yourself and prospective students on the role

• Work with students to identify idea for their Congress Proposal

• Create a process that includes student voice (voting, presentations, nomination committee) and administrator input

What they do?• Design & implement a plan for a big idea to build or

strengthen their Bonner Program, campus, or community

• Collaborate with other Reps and learn from other campus programs

• Attend two meetings annually

When & Where? • Online (emails, Bonner Congress Group, Wiki)

• Fall Meeting and track at Summer Leadership Institute

Bonner Congress - Big Idea Project

• Their role is to Represent, Build, Lead

• Big Idea Project chosen from campus and/or Bonner Program Goals • Community impact• Student development• Campus-wide culture

• Start-up can be the Big Idea project

Bonner Congress Meetings

• Every fall and summer

• Inspiring learning

• National networking

• Connect with national and international partners

• Attend workshops

• Engage in visioning, planning and sharing best practices

Bonners as Campus-Wide Leaders