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Bonner Orientation

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This page provides comprehensive planning guides and best practices for designing your Bonner Orientation. Use these resources to create an effective orientation that welcomes new students, builds community, and establishes a strong foundation for their Bonner journey.

Guide to Planning Bonner Orientation

Effectively planning your Bonner Orientation creates an environment for new Bonner students to be welcomed and exposed to the critical components of the Bonner Program. It is good to keep the following things in mind when planning:

Logistics & Scheduling

• Create a detailed agenda with time blocks for each activity
• Reserve resources early: rooms, vans, office sites, and equipment
• Coordinate with campus departments for early arrival permissions if orientation occurs before the semester starts
• Work with Student Housing to allow students to move directly into residence halls during orientation
• Schedule site visits and presenters well in advance

Addressing Basic Needs

Keep in mind the basic needs of your Bonners as you plan:

• Food (meals and snacks throughout the day)
• Hygiene facilities and supplies
• Housing arrangements

Best Practices

• Involve upper-class students in planning and leading activities. Some campuses have upper-class students entirely responsible for facilitation, with staff providing content guidance.
• Model effective practices you'll expect from Bonner students:
• Start and end on time
• Avoid situations where only one or a few people dominate conversation
• Demonstrate respect and active listening
• Create space for all voices

Orientation Components 

Normally it is a good idea to provide background on how the program got started and significant events in the program’s development. Program history, traditions, and culture should be presented in a positive manner. The goal is to develop a sense of pride about the program’s past accomplishments and future possibilities. Well presented, a program history will reinforce the decision that joining the Bonner Program was a great choice.

Team and Community Building

What it is: Activities that provide new Bonners with opportunities to meet each other, form relationships, celebrate involvement, and have fun.

Why it matters: Orientation is when new friendships begin and the spirit of the Bonner group emerges. Building a strong team early creates a support system that lasts throughout students' years in the program.

Key elements:

• Icebreakers and relationship-building activities
• Group service projects (Habitat for Humanity, planting flowers at nursing homes, painting playgrounds, etc.)
• Activities that help Bonners understand community service as both individual and group endeavors

Practical tips:

• Help new students develop "ownership" of the program by brainstorming specific goals and projects together
• Set deadlines and discuss ways of evaluating progress
• Let students draw up their own calendar for the year's activities
• Write a Bonner "mission statement" for the year as a group

Orientation to the National Bonner Program and Network

Key topics to cover:

• History of the service movement in America
• The Bonner network of approximately 65 colleges and universities
• Bonner Program mission and philosophy
• Bonner Foundation staff and key personnel
• Bonner transformational model for students, campuses, communities, and higher education

Practical Tips: 

• Invite Bonner Foundation staff (Zoom or in-person) to present to new Bonner students during orientation. It can help students make connections to being part of larger national network.

Introduction to Bonner Program Guidelines

Key topics to cover:

• How the Bonner scholarship award fits in financial aid packages and fund allocation for school year and summer components
• Community service requirements for school year and summer
• Warnings, probation, and dismissal policies and procedures
• Rules of conduct and reporting procedures
• Governance structure
• BWBRS (Bonner Work-Based Reporting System) or other tracking and reporting systems (GivePulse, work-study)

Orientation and Introduction to your Campus Structure

Key topics to cover:

• School program staff and other key personnel
• School program mission and philosophy
• School program constitution (if applicable)
• Notable achievements and date founded
• Goals for the future 

Orientation to the College and Transition Support 

What it is: Helping Bonners become familiar with campus resources, key offices, and support systems while addressing transition concerns.

Why it matters: The sooner students feel comfortable with their surroundings, the easier it will be for them to focus on the program and succeed academically.

Campus tour essentials:

Make sure students know where to find:

• Civic engagement center
• Financial aid office
• Student government office
• Dean of Students office
• Chaplain's office
• Bonner Scholars Program office

Key introductions:

• College administrators and faculty involved in the program (giving students a sense of the school’s support behind the program)
• Selection committee members
• Financial aid officer (to explain details of financial aid, especially Bonner allocations)
• College President (consider holding a reception)

Transition support:

One of the coordinator's most important tasks is helping students adjust to service work alongside academics.

• Address time management concerns: Hold workshops on time management and study skills
• Create individual plans: Meet with each Bonner to develop a personal time schedule
• Review academic requirements: Clarify any academic and discipline requirements for program participation
• Normalize concerns: Encourage open discussion about meeting college's academic challenges
• Share resources: Inform students of campus resources available for academic, personal, and professional growth

Practical Tips: 

• Consider joint sessions with other scholarship or student groups on campus for to cover introductions and information on resources across campus that any student, regardless of affiliation, may need to access (wellness, financial aid, counseling, academic advising, etc.). 

Orientation and Introduction to the Surrounding Communities 

What it is: Familiarizing Bonners with the community where they'll serve, including its people, geography, economy, politics, needs, and assets. 

Why it matters: Much of Bonners' education occurs off-campus. Students must see themselves as citizens of the larger community, working together in service with its members. Before working in a community, students must first come to know it.

Provide community context:

• Local history and background
• Maps and local newspapers
• Political issues and leadership (including the mayor's name!)
• Demographics (senior citizen population, children under poverty level, etc.)
• Community assets, resources, talents, traditions, and folklore

Take a community tour:

• Walk through the community immediately surrounding campus
• Encourage Bonners to explore independently by bike or foot
• Suggest students register to vote in their new community

Connect with community partners:

• Visit service sites where Bonners will work
• Meet with agency representatives, staff, and volunteers
• Plot social service agencies, schools, and community resources on a map
• Invite community members to speak (government officials, school principals, life-long citizens)

Asset-Based Approach: Don't forget that every town and city with needs also has gifts. Balance discussions of community challenges with celebration of community strengths. 

Personal and Cultural Awareness

What it is: Activities that provide Bonners with opportunities to consider their own and others' identities and explore issues of class, age, race, ethnicity, and gender.

Why it matters: These conversations are important to functioning as a healthy, diverse community and serving effectively across difference. 

An opportunity for Personal Reflection

Key elements:

• Time to think about the commitment students are making
• Space to set personal goals
• Reflection on aspirations and hopes for their Bonner experience

Planning Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure you've covered all essential elements:

• Created detailed agenda with time blocks
• Reserved rooms, vans, and sites
• Coordinated early arrival permissions
• Scheduled site visits and presenters
• Recruited upper-class student leaders
• Planned meals and addressed basic needs
• Prepared program history and guidelines materials
• Arranged campus tour and key office visits
• Scheduled meetings with administrators and faculty
• Organized community tour and partner visits
• Designed team-building and service activities
• Created space for personal reflection
• Prepared materials on cultural awareness and identity