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Managing Student Placements

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This section is meant to outline how Bonner administrators support students as they live into their roles and responsibilities at their service placements. Clearly communicating with both Community Partners and students will ensure that your Bonners find the optimal service placement where they feel like they not only have a great deal to contribute but also a great deal to learn.  

Communication to Community Partners

Community Partners are gaining access to motivated, trained, students that serve ten hours per week for multiple years. It is important that as your campus forges partnerships with community organizations they understand that they also serve an important role as co-educators for your Bonner students. The developmental model, campus calendar, gold tracking, and accountability measures are all helpful components to communicate every time a student begins working at a site.

Communication to Students 

Whether students are placed with community partners or if they have the opportunity to choose them, it is important as administrators to articulate the expectations of each site. Through a sound orientation in conjunction with community partners, students will understand what is expected of them and whom to reach out to should any concerns or problems arise. Students should also be made aware of the student development model, accountability measures, goal setting expectations, and advising opportunities. Establishing this from the beginning will aid in student feeling supported and confident in their work with community partners. 

Through Bonner Programs around the nation, Bonner Scholars and Leaders are engaged to work with non-profit, governmental, and education partners. Additionally, centers and programs engage other students, faculty, and stakeholders from across campus in addressing the unmet needs of local community partners and assisting in their organizations’ programs. Because students can be involved with the same partners for multiple semesters and even years, they can take on a variety of roles and projects. These capacity-building roles often involve more complex program, organizational, and project development functions, such as curriculum development and resource development. This resource guide provides some useful steps and resources to help you expand these opportunities for your students and community partners.