|
Bonner Student Congress
As an advisory council to the Bonner Foundation,
the Bonner Student Congress provides information, energy,
and opportunities for leadership to the Bonner Program. The
Bonner Congress, when together, represents more than 2,500
students and connects over
70 college campuses through the Bonner
Scholar and Bonner Leader
Programs. Each of these schools contributes to the expansion
of the Program. Utilizing the Bonner Congress to its full
potential provides resources accessible to students on each
campus and the people of each community.
Philosophy
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.
History
Since the inception of the Bonner Program,
student input has been instrumental in creating, implementing
and strengthening the Program on both the local and national
levels. It has been the Bonner Congress, representing its
peers, that has fulfilled the role of the student voice to
the Foundation. This role is vital to the success, integrity
and future of the Program.
The idea to form a student group with members from all the
Bonner schools was proposed at the Student Leadership Institute
in the summer of 1994. The Student Coalition was soon created
and convened in 1995. Unfortunately, the Student Coalition
struggled from 1996-1997 for a number of reasons. The high
turnover in students and staff, along with an ambitious agenda
caused the most difficult challenges. Yet, because student
leadership is a critical element in maintaining the excellence
of the Bonner Program, the Student Coalition was reshaped
and renamed the Bonner Congress.
Student Statements
Historically the Bonner Congress has created
statements illustrating student voice and its commitment to
the Bonner Congress; these include the original Oath of Duty
from the first Bonner Congress Meeting in 1998 and the Statement
of Recommitment at the 2004 SLI.
Oath of Duty
By the Original Congress class, 1998
I pledge to
do my best to represent and serve my peers in the
Bonner Program. I promise to help shape and articulate
the visions and policies of the program as well as
promote communication and sharing of ideas between
consortium schools. I, as a representative of the
Bonner Student Congress, understand that my role is
significant not only to my peers, but to the entire
program. I will do my utmost in spreading knowledge
and understanding of the program whenever I am needed. |
Statement of Recommitment
To civic engagement, 2004
| We,
as scholars and leaders of the Bonner community, have
the opportunity to gain first hand information regarding
injustices and social issues in local, national, and
international realms. Civic engagement and more specifically,
voting, are inseparable from the democratic values that
Bonners uphold; all aspects of our daily lives are touched
by the effects of the political process. Our first hand
experience working toward the progression of common
commitments including: community building, diversity,
spiritual exploration, social justice and international
perspective are fostered in the organized, non-partisan
environment of the Bonner family; an environment that
is conducive to the development of effective educational
training programs, activism and service learning.
This unique perspective allows for bridging immediate
tangible and visible change and evolutionary structural
change that is desperately needed. Hence, our main
purposes for the progression of this commitment and
voting are the education and empowerment if the public;
an informed public with the privilege of challenging
themselves to be accountable and responsible for a
just and progressive society. Thus, civic engagement
is the glue that holds a community together. |
In 2005-2006, four students
from Princeton Theological Seminary are serving as interns
at the Bonner Foundation and are coordinating the logistics
of daily, weekly, and monthly communication between the
Bonner Congress Representatives. These students are:
-
Andrew
Brown, working with the National Networking Action
Area and the National Bonner Service Day.
-
-
-
Zack
Shaeffer, working with the Academic Connections Action
Area.
You can check out more about
these projects and action team areas by clicking on those
areas at the left.
|
