"Access to Education, Opportunity to Serve"
The Bonner Leadership Program originated in 1990 as a multi-state consortium of participating colleges and universities. All participating colleges and universities share one common commitment to the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation, and one common motive - to “transform students, communities, and campuses through service.” The program is comprised of passionate community service leaders of higher education who are selected based on leadership experiences, community engagement, commitment to intensive and meaningful service, etc. Bonner Leaders have the opportunity to develop new community outreach programs that specifically target the problems within the community in which they represent. Bonner Leaders, representing a diverse array of interests, may integrate their commitment to community engagement with their academic or extracurricular interests. Guided by the seven Common Commitments - community building, civic engagement, social justice, diversity, international perspective, and spiritual exploration - Bonner Leaders strive to create a positive impact on the world around them.
As a Bonner Leader at Sewanee: The University of the South, I spend my time working at two sites of my choice - Beersheba Springs Medical Clinic and Grundy Safe Communities Coalition. I chose these two sites as they both integrate my common interests with medicine. I work at each of these sites once a week and am responsible for various tasks from helping fill medications to writing my own blogs. This helps me gain a diverse array of knowledge and experiences, while allowing me to serve my community and learn the importance of relationship building, leadership, etc.