An overview of The College of New Jersey Bonner Program's cornerstone activities.

1. New Bonner Staff Orientation
The College of New Jersey
Bonner Cornerstone
Activities

2. Table of contents
01
04
02
05
03
06
Orientation First Year Trip Second Year Exchange
Capstone Projects Presentations of Learning Advising: One on One Meetings

3. About TCNJ Bonner
● Bonner Leader Program (partial
Bonner endowment, scholarships
funded by TCNJ)
● 90-100 Bonner students annually
● 23 community partners
● Fleet of six 12-passenger vans
● Within Center for Community
Engagement, a part of
Academic Affairs

4. Work samples Skills
Work samples can be anything
from graphics to writing, videos
or websites that showcase your
design, development or the
writing skills you have
Skills and qualifications are the
credentials you have that show
employers your experience and
abilities in various areas that are
related to your field
All-Bonner Orientation

5. March: Select summer orientation interns (2-3 students)
June - August: Work with staff and interns to plan:
→Budget ~$10k-12K
→Training priorities
→Theme of Year
→Reserve space on campus and transportation
→Guest speakers and workshop facilitators
→Meals
Orientation: Planning Process

6. Annual Orientation/Training Calendar
July: First-Year Orientation
→ Two-day, overnight experience on campus
→ 20-25 participants
August: Site Leader Training
→ 2 hours, virtual
→ Just student leaders (20-25 participants)
August: All-Bonner Orientation
→ Four-day, overnight orientation on and off campus
→ 90-100 participants
January: Spring All-Bonner Orientation
→One-day, in-person orientation
→ 90-100 participants
→ Refresh and re-commit between semesters
Plus: 1.5 hour
Bonner meetings
every other
Tuesday!

7. First-Year Overnight - Mid-July
Community Building
● Ice Breakers
● Meals in Small Groups
Bonner Program: Big
Picture
● Beginner’s Guide to
Bonner
Bonner Program:
Goals &
Expectations
● Division/Issue Area
Getting to Know: The
College
● Beginner’s Guide to TCNJ
● Campus Tour/Scavenger
Hunt
● Overnight Stay in Dorm
Getting to Know: The
Community
● Division/Issue Area
Crashcourse
● Service Activity
Getting to Know:
Yourself
● Reflection
● Write a letter to your
senior self

8. August Site Leader Online Orientation
● Save cost
● Specialized skills
training
● Set expectations
● Create buy-in as
role models for rest
of the orientation

9. ● Community Building
● Program Expectations
● Bonner Program Big Picture
● Get to Know College & Community
● Get to Know Self & Others
Tuesday (Day 1)
Schedule
9:00 AM-12:30
PM
●FY Move in
●FY family brunch
11:30 AM-12:30
PM
●UC Move in
●Bonner families mixer
12:30-1:15 PM ●Welcome address
●All-Bon icebreaker
1:15-2:30 PM ●Keynote speaker
2:30-3:30 PM ●Word of year activity
●Handbook review
3:30-4:30 PM ●Family reveal
●Family/group photos
All-Bonner Orientation
4:30-5:30 PM ●Travel to Fernbrook
Farms
5:30-6:30 PM ●Send me your champion
team-building
6:30-7:30 PM ●Food truck dinner
7:30-8:30 PM ●We’re not really strangers
8:30-9:30 PM ●Bonfire with smores
●Singalong
9:30-10:00 PM ●Travel back to campus

10. Fall Orientation: Other Highlights
Over 4 days we also fit in…
Visit to Bonner Foundation
Community Partner Luncheon
“Taste of Trenton” and Trenton Tour
Service Activity
Alumni Panel
Student Talent Show
● Community Building
● Program Expectations
● Bonner Program Big Picture
● Get to Know College & Community
● Get to Know Self & Others

11. New Programs
Small Group Discussion - Orientation
What ideas do you have?
What are potential
challenges and ways to
overcome? What are realistic
strategies for year one?
What does your program currently
do? What are the strengths and
challenges? What are some ways
to improve the experience?
Established Programs

12. FY Trip
02

13. New Orleans, Louisiana
● Required for all FY students
● Drive together (upperclass trip
leaders)
● Gain perspective on urban area
different from Trenton, natural
disaster response, debunk
oversimplified “north v south”
preconceptions
● Serve together (home
rebuilding)
● Explore new culture through
arts, guided tours, sports, and
more.

14. New Orleans Trip - How to Plan
August
● Identify January dates
● Secure housing
● Secure service
*1 staff lead, intern support
September
● Secure budget approval
● Select student leaders
● Sign waivers/forms
*2 staff lead, student support →
October
● Prepare FY students
● Purchase event tickets
● Order supplies
November
● Continue to prep students
● Confirm meals
● Payment from students
due
December
● Send final itinerary
● Meet with trip leaders
● Prep vans
January
● Go on the trip!
● Written post-reflection
● Post-survey for feedback
In total this trip costs ~$23,000. With student deposits, ~$17,000

15. Second Year Exchange
● Cohort experience for sophomores that
exposes them to national movement
● Pair up with 1 or more other Bonner
Programs or other schools
● Delve deeper into an issue - integrate
activism and advocacy
● Can be a conference (in person or remote)

16. NJ/Northeast Bonner Sophomore Exchange
10am-10:45am Registration & Breakfast
10:45am-11:15am Welcome Address
11:15am-12:45pm Disaster Simulation
12:45pm-1:45pm Lunch & Network
1:45pm-1:55pm Break
1:55pm-3pm Workshops
3:00pm-3:15pm Break
3:15pm-4pm Final Reflection
● 11 campuses - 8 staff members and 5
students on planning committee
○ Met virtually from December -
April
● Logistic support from foundation
● Rotate which campus hosts each year

17. Capstone Projects
● It allows the student to integrate academic and experiential learning.
● Bonner Capstones engage students in an individual or team project
● It has a clearly defined community purpose for a partner or constituency (involving an advisor).

18. TCNJ Bonner: Legacy Projects
TCNJ Celebration of Student
Achievement (COSA): Annual event
to highlight student scholarship.
TCNJ Bonner Requirement: Complete
a Legacy Project (capstone) in jr or
sr year and present at COSA.

19. TCNJ Bonner: Legacy Projects
1. TCNJ Bonners complete the 8 capstone modules
2. Two dedicated staff for advising
3. Host frequent drop-in working sessions
4. Partner with faculty and community partners to mentor
5. Maintain archive of past projects for examples and continuation
“Legacy is not what I did for myself. It’s what I’m doing for the
next generation.” -Vitor Belfort

20. Advising: One on One Meetings
Set 30-60 min
mtg
First 2 weeks of classes
Bonner
Service, community,
knowledge, skills, goals
Academic
Class schedule, workload,
resources (tutoring, writing
center)
Personal
Social supports, clubs,
family obligations
Progress
Hours, grades,
communication
Goals
Leadership roles, capacity-
building projects,
professional development
Document
Take detailed notes,
maintain records over 4
years with same student
Follow-Up
Send email after meeting
with recap of topics and any
to-do items for the student
with deadlines