2023 Bonner New Staff Orientation – Program Management

1. Bonner Program Management

2. What We’ll Cover
• Bonner Program Staf
fi
ng Standards
• Campus-Wide Center Staf
fi
ng
• Roles & Responsibilities
• Student Leadership (BLT, Interns, Congress
Reps)

3. Map your current staf
fi
ng and
center organizational structure.
Starting Activity

4. Bonner Program
Staf
fi
ng Standards

5. Staf
fi
ng Standards
• During start up: clarify roles
of staff and faculty; most
have other roles
• 40 students: to 1 staff
• Bonner Director reports to
Senior Administrator
• Creatively leverage available
staf
fi
ng (e.g., work study,
VISTAs, graduate assistants)

6. Campus-Wide Centers
Staf
fi
ng &
Institutional Home

7. •Core professional staff that ranges from 1.5 (for a
small start-up program) to 20 (Swearer Center at
Brown).
•Average center in the network has 5 staff, with 2
dedicated to the Bonner Program (2015).
•Typical functions include center director, program
director, faculty fellow(s), program coordinator, site
leaders, interns with various leadership roles.
Staf
fi
ng a Formal Center

8. Start-Up Bonner Program Model
• 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 with two serving as
Congress Reps)
Other Campus Faculty and
Staff
(engaged in community service learning)
Site/Project Leaders
(campus-wide volunteer management)

9. Center/Of
fi
ce with 2-3 Staff
Bonner Program Director
(overall management)
Other Campus Faculty and
Staff
(engaged in community service learning)
Center Director
(manages Center & oversees Bonner Program)
AmeriCorps VISTA(s)
(training, enrichment, community
partnerships)
Student Site/Project
Leaders
(for sites with teams of students serving)
Bonner Senior Intern(s)
(training, enrichment, community
partnerships)
Bonner Congress Reps
(Foundation link, student voice, special
projects)
Bonner Leadership Team
(class reps, committees, community fund)

10. Center with 4+ staff
Community Service Federal
Work-Study Program
(1-2 year commitment)
Other Student Service Clubs
(1x or occasional service projects)
Bonner Program Director
(overall management)
Faculty Fellow(s)
(engaged in community service learning)
Center Director
(manages Center & oversees Bonner Program)
VISTA(s)
(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 Leadership Team
(class reps, committees, community fund)
Other Center Staff

11. Institutional Home
Housed in... Strengths Concerns Other
Student
Affairs
Fit with departmental
mission; student-led
programs; larger scale;
access to areas like
Residence Life & fees
Fails to become
integrated at institution’s
core (faculty); lack of
curricular change;
second class status
Many campuses started
from Student Affairs and
have moved; when
moving, campus-wide
engagement can suffer
Academic
Affairs
Access to faculty
Status within institution
Connect research and
scholarship
Service can be episodic if
only tied to courses; must
put attention on student
leadership
Having program under
Academic Affairs does
not guarantee curricular
change
Integrated
May leverage resources &
change opportunities;
curricular and
co-curricular integration
Coordination and
decision-making involves
more time & people; top
down vs. bottom up
Many established
campuses seem to be
moving here, but some
wait for vision

12. Staf
fi
ng Structure Examples
Small centers (2-3 staff)
Assoc. Dean/
Bonner Director/
Asst. Prof.
Philosophy
Assistant Director
of UCARE
Graduate Assistant
for UCARE
UCARE Service
Fellows
x6
(Student positions)
Ursinus College (PA)
Student body: 1,500
Bonner Program: 40 students
(2023)
Medium centers (4-6 staff)
Director
Administrative
Of
fi
ce Coordinator
Manager of
Student
Development &
Bonner Program
Student
Development &
Bonner Program
Coordinator
Spelman College (GA)
Student body: 2,400
Bonner Program: 60 students
(2023)
Manager of Service
& Bonner Campus
Programs
Community Service
& Bonner
Coordinator

13. Staf
fi
ng Structure Examples
Large centers (7+ staff)
Director CEL
Institute
Coordinator for
Finance and
Administration
Director,
Bonner Institute
Professional
Services
Specialist
The College of New Jersey (NJ)
Student body: 6,900
Bonner Program: 80 students
(2023)
Coordinator,
Bonner Institute
Program
Manager,
Bonner Institute
Coordinator,
Bonner Institute
CEL Manager,
CEL Institute
CEL
Coordinator,
CEL Institute
CEL
Coordinator,
CEL Institute
Director, TCNJ
AmeriCorps

14. Bonner Wiki: Bonner Program Staf
fi
ng

15. Discuss your current staf
fi
ng and center
organizational structure.
What’s working well? Where are the
areas of improvement to prioritize?
Discuss

16. Bonner Staff
Roles & Responsibilities

17. "Program directors are
fi
nding a stretch in their
associations, as they necessarily have to become
program developers, political strategists, communicators
across many boundaries, counselors, learners,
wisdom
fi
gures, interpreters,
planners and problem solvers.”
- Robert Sigmon, 1992 report
to the Bonner Foundation

18. What do staff do?
Empower students’ (and
staff) development &
leadership
Build connections on
campus (pathways) and off
campus (collaboration)
Develop and manage
partnerships, positions,
& projects
Teach, advise, coach,
and mentor
Manage people & hold
them accountable
Build, implement, and
expand programs,
initiatives, events, and
centers

19. Participation in Bonner Foundation-Sponsored Activities
• Two student Bonner Congress representatives must participate in Congress Meeting (October)
• Bonner staff must participate in Fall Bonner Network Meeting (November)
• Senior Interns should participate in webinars and online forums
• Campus team (staff, students, faculty) participate in Summer Leadership Institute (June)
• Staff participate in ongoing surveys, communication, and special projects
Administrative/Financial (BSP) Campus-wide Collaboration
• Submit registrar’s list at beginning of each semester/quarter & summer
• Submit reimbursement report at end of each semester & summer
• Submit community fund report at end of each semester & summer
• Submit annual report narrative
• Submit enrichment grant proposals (endowed campuses)
• Maintain relationships with Admissions and
Financial Aid for recruiting and replacing Bonners
• Conduct a recruitment process according to guidelines and
fi
nalize selection
of class (spring)
• Maintain a replacement process for Bonner Scholars/Leaders
• Continue to grow a campus-wide culture and center, working with Student
Affairs, Academic Affairs, etc.
Direct Service Placements &
Capacity-Building Projects
Education, Training & Re
fl
ection Activities
• Build partnerships that offer student placements at multiple levels and include capacity
building projects
• Ensure students complete Community Learning Agreements at beginning of each term
• Ensure students log hours and trainings in Bonner Web-Based Reporting (BWBRS) or
other tracking system
• At the end of each term, students should complete re
fl
ections and written records
(such as Community Learning Agreements) of their work. This may also include partner/
site evaluations.
• Manage process for Summer Internships
• Plan and lead student meetings for developmental training & enrichment
opportunities weekly or every other week
• Plan and run Bonner Orientation & Retreats
• Design and implement Cornerstone Activities (First Year Trip, 2nd Year
Exchange, Junior-Senior Capacity-Building (Capstone) Level Projects, Senior
Presentations of Learning)
• Arrange and carry out advising each semester
• Provide advanced leadership opportunities for students
• Manage student leadership team (Interns, BLT, Congress Representatives)
Program Management Roles

20. Bonner “Director”
• Oversees the operations of the
civic engagement center and
Bonner program
• Serves as a key advocate and
leader for community and civic
engagement on campus
• Supervises and provides support
to the Bonner Coordinator and
other Center staff
• Often plays a central role in
promoting academic connections

21. Bonner “Coordinator”
• Designs, facilitates, and assesses the
education, structure, and
programming for Bonner Program
• Provides ongoing mentorship and
support to Bonner students
• Monitors Bonners’ performance
and completion of hours and
expectations
• Manages all components, including
recruitment and selection
• Manages sites and positions

22. Year at a Glance
Fall
Orientation - launches
Bonner Program before
school year
Place First Years - First-
Year often shadow or try
different sites
Semester Placements -
get students into service
within a few weeks
Fall Staff and Congress
Meetings - get the
network together
Summer
Cornerstones - implement
by end of year (or summer)
Capstones and
Presentations of Learning -
with partners, seniors,
faculty, etc.
Summer Leadership
Institute - big meeting!
Manage summer - site
visits, strategic planning;
revise your training &
meeting calendar
Evaluation and planning -
Annual Reports (May/June)
Winter
Mid-Year Retreats -
training, visioning, and
Bonner community building
Site Visits and Check Ins -
events with partners
Ongoing work around
academic connections -
faculty training and
engagement
Semester Placements - get
other students into service
within a few weeks
Planning for Summer -
start internship recruitment
Spring
First Year Trip and Second Year
Exchange - plan Cornerstones,
whether in person or remote
Recruitment and Selection -
identi
fi
es next class of Bonners
Site Visits and Check Ins -
events with partners
Curriculum projects - courses,
capstones, minors, pathways,
policies, tracking, etc.
Semester Placements and
Finalize Summer - ensure
students have positions

23. Given your understanding of the current
team composition, list who will be staff
lead in each activity involved in managing
your Bonner Program.
(Use Campus Collaboration
worksheet handout)
Planning Activity

24. Sta
ff
Lead

25. Bonner Student
Leadership Roles

26. Bonner Senior Interns
Who? • 1 - 4 motivated students, rising Seniors or Juniors, in key
program management roles
How to
pick?
• Identify students with strong understanding of Bonner
Program and how to mobilize students
• Prepare students in junior year (or before)
What they
do?
• Coordinate BLT (Bonner Leadership Team)
• Help organize and lead meetings & training
• Help manage service sites
• Help with accountability and BWBRS
When/
Where?
• Senior Interns have a track at Summer Leadership Institute
• Many also attend Fall Bonner Congress

27. Senior Intern Training
• Bonner National Meetings
and online connections
• Provide intensive training in:
‣ Program management
‣ Peer leadership
‣ How to facilitate workshops
‣ Organizational skills
• Bonner Intern Handbook

28. Bonner Wiki: Bonner Senior Interns

29. Bonner Leadership Team (BLT)
Who? • Student leaders who help run the Bonner
Program and campus-wide engagement
How to pick?
• Determine structure and roles
• Build in student voice
• Select and/or elect students
What they
do?
• Almost Everything!
• Be creative with their roles!
When&/
Where?
• Bonner Congress
• Bonner Summer Leadership Institute

30. BLT Size: 20% Rule of Thumb
SMALL
20-40 BONNERS
4-8 BLT MEMBERS
AVERAGE
40-80 BONNERS
8-16 BLT
MEMBERS
LARGE
80+ BONNERS
16+ BLT
MEMBERS
START UP
0-20 BONNERS
2-4 BLT MEMBERS

31. BLT Structures: Sample Structures
Class Based Roles
Committee Based Roles
Chair Based Roles
Family Based Roles

32. High Point University
SENIOR INTERN
(PRESIDENT)
SENIOR
INTERN
JUNIOR
INTERN
STUDENT
GOVERNMENT
ASSOCIATION
REPRESENTATIVE
BONNER
CONGRESS
REPRESENTATIVE
SOCIAL MEDIA &
TECHNOLOGY
CHAIR
COHORT
REPRESENTATIVES
1ST YEAR
2ND YEAR
3RD YEAR
4TH YEAR
SIDE LEADERS
WEST END MINISTRIES
MACEDONIA FAMILY
RESOURCE CENTER
PNAC/D-UP: COMMUNITY
CLINIC
COMMUNITY WRITING
CENTER
COMMUNITY AGAINST
VIOLENCE
YMCA

33. Berry College
Bonner Leadership Team
Class
Reps (1)
Bonner
Congress
Reps
Class
Reps (2)
Class
Reps (3)
Class
Reps (4)
Peer
Counselors
Cornerstone
experiences
FirstYear
Programming
Issue Based
FirstYear
Programming
Community
Buildin
g
Issue Based
SecondYear
Programming
Community
Buildin
g
Issue Based
ThirdYear
Programming
Community
Buildin
g
Issue Based
FourthYear
Programming
Community
Buildin
g
Issue Based
“Big Idea”
Bonner Buddie
s
Issue Based
Admissions Events
Alumni Initiatives
Alternative Breaks
Care Committee
Community Fund
Communication
Recruitment
Admin/Retreats
Senior Intern
Campus Partnerships, Class
Programing, Recruitment
Senior Intern
BLT Facilitator & Re
fl
ection Leader
Senior Intern
Community Partnerships & Issue-
Based Team Leader

34. BLT Selection
• Early application process
(early spring)
‣ Written application
‣ Interview
• Selection approaches:
‣ Voting
‣ Internal Appointment
‣ Combination

35. BLT Training
• Orientation
• Strengths / Styles
• Team Building
• Skill Development
• Facilitation
• Meeting Design
• Accountability

36. Bonner Wiki: Bonner Leadership Team

37. Bonner Wiki: Bonner Congress

38. Draft an ideal structure for your
Bonner Leadership Team (whether you
have a program or not)
Write down things you need to learn.
Brainstorm and discuss how you will involve
diverse students.
Plan & Discuss

39. Bonner Program
Staf
fi
ng
Collaboration
Across Campus

40. Bonner Campus Collaboration
Academic
Departments
Interfaith Centers
Alumni Of
fi
ce,
Advancement &
Public Relations
Student Life/
Affairs/Success
Career Services
Diversity Equity &
Inclusion
Global
Programs/
Study Abroad
Admissions

41. Plan & Discuss
Use Campus Collaboration worksheet to
identify colleagues across campus who
can support speci
fi
c Bonner Program
activities.
Discuss what this looks like in your
Bonner Program.

42. Sta
ff
Colleague(s)