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Service Leadership
Overview | Guides | Campus Examples | Documents to Download
As Bonners progress through the Student Development Model, they are offered the opportunity to gain new leadership skills and experiences as part of their personal development. The Service Leadership Cornerstone Activity is an opportunity for any Bonner, though most often upperclassmen students, to take more initiative through different leadership opportunities or to gain knowledge or experiences in an area of interest. These opportunities often build on knowledge of specific issues or experiences previously encountered in the Bonner Program, and cornerstone activities can be linked to academics, campus-wide events or international service immersion trips. Some service leadership opportunities can also include specific leadership positions within the Bonner Program, at Community Partner sites, or as a Campus-Wide Engagement Project.
While the following list is not exhaustive, here are ways campuses often develop Service Leadership opportunities within their Bonner Programs:
- International Service Immersion Trips
- Campus-Wide Engagement Projects
- Site-Based Team Coordinator
- Social Action Team Leader/Projects
- Issue-Based Team Leader
- Social Innovation Projects
- Capacity Building Projects
- Undergraduate Research Expectations
- Student Intern Position (such as Junior Interns or Class Representative)
- Role in the Bonner Leadership Teams
- Role with Faculty, working in the "Student as Colleagues" role
Each campus should incorporate the various leadership opportunities that best fit and support their programs. More information on the different types of opportunities can be found on the Guides Page in this Section.
Best Practices
- Tailor your leadership opportunities to the strengths and challenges of your Bonner program and campus. For instance, if raising awareness regarding social justice issues has not been emphasized in Bonners' first or second years in your program, taking on an issue-based project could be a junior leadership activity.
- Define expectations for service leadership opportunities early (i.e. during the first two years). Students can prepare more effectively to take on additional responsibilities when they are aware of the timeframe.
- Provide training and preparation. If the leadership opportunity is an international service trip, dedicate two to three trainings to brief students on the cultural and political context, language, and history of the country being visited. If the leadership position is a BLT or Senior Intern position, allot time for a leadership retreat, prior to the start of the term.
- Reassess the service leadership positions regularly to ensure that students' needs are being met and that the opportunities are improving the quality of the program.