Service 

Bonner Scholars can positively impact the community in many ways; however, the beneficiary of your Bonner hours of service should be the off-campus community (not just Davidson College and its student body). Co-curricular activities (through student organizations) can be counted towards hours when they benefit a community constituency or program. 

• For example, planning an event which prepares bagged lunches for people experiencing homelessness can count as Bonner hours. Time spent planning an end-of-semester social for club members cannot be counted towards hours.

Encouraged Activities

• Maintaining Community: Utilize existing partnerships in the Greater Charlotte and Lake Norman region through the Center for Civic Engagement's Community Opportunties Site.

• Invest Long-term: if you find a service site(s) that works for you, starting as a direct service volunteer and committing deeply to them builds trust with community partners. That relationship can lead to impactful capacity building opportunities. 

• In-Person, Local Service: As a Bonner Scholar, one of your goals should be to build bridges between campus and the community. 

• Virtual Service: The Davidson College Bonner Scholars Program does allow for virtual service. Virtual service should be with organizations in the greater Lake Norman region or national partners of the Bonner Foundation. Virtual service should have a measurable outcome. This can look like a documented schedule of meetings, a presentation of service completed, data sets of served populations, etc. As a First-Year Bonner, you should strive to find an in-person partner. 

• Connected Service: When we work to our strengths, we often serve more effectively. Being intentional about seeking out service that aligns with your academic, professional, or personal interests in encouraged. 

• Exception: Academic Credit & Research: During the academic year, unless specifically approved, Bonners should not expect hours completed for course credit or research purposes to count for hours.