Bonner Leaders Program
For more than 10 years, the College’s Bonner Leaders Program has provided service-learning opportunities to students passionate about social issues and nonprofit work, creating positive change in the Rollins community and beyond.
The Mission
Developed by the Bonner Foundation, a national philanthropic charity based in Princeton, New Jersey, with the mission to “transform students, communities, and campuses through service,” the program has expanded to a nationwide network of over 70 colleges and universities.
Explore the Application Explore the Application
The Bonner Program At Rollins
The four-year program chooses 10 to 14 first-year students—typically with previous community service experience—to form a Bonner Leader cohort before the start of each fall semester. Each member receives a $3,000 yearly scholarship from Rollins, and those selected as Bonner Leaders work eight to 10 volunteer hours a week, assisting over 30 community nonprofit organizations in the greater Orlando area.
Students participate in training and enrichment related to community engagement and leading positive change throughout their time at Rollins, including the annual fall retreat before the start of the school year, which helps students forge relationships with each other before classes even begin.
From focusing on accessible health care at Grace Medical Home and supporting families in need at the Ronald McDonald House to applying the lessons of history to today at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida, students undertake a variety of community-based learning and service and are empowered to address some of the greatest challenges of our time.
Meet Our Community Partners Meet Our Community Partners
“I gained confidence in my voice by leading meetings and pitching new ideas. I learned how to network with other departments and student organizations to strengthen our pantry. Doing service with a unified group of like-minded people makes you more motivated and optimistic, and it brings together perspectives that create sustainable and impactful solutions to problems.”
Bonner Stories
Dive into the dynamic stories of some of Rollins' past Bonner Leaders to see the impact they had on their communities.
July 29, 2024
Leading Change
For the past 10 years, the College’s Bonner Leaders Program has provided service-learning opportunities to students passionate about social issues and nonprofit work, creating positive change in the Rollins community and beyond.
January 25, 2024
Learning by Doing
Each year between the fall and spring semesters, enterprising students return to campus a little early to participate in Intersession, a weeklong course dedicated to an interesting subject not typically offered during the regular semester.
May 18, 2022
Curran ’22 Earns Fellowship from the National Science Foundation
After a superstar undergraduate career, Emily Curran ’22 will start her PhD program with an extra boost from one of the nation’s preeminent STEM fellowships.
May 05, 2022
Tars Taking Action
A trio of Tars are putting the “act” in “activist” through educational outreach and the creation of the first-ever Take Action Institute.
May 04, 2022
Bengtson ’22 Earns Fulbright and Critical Language Scholarships
Jacqueline Bengtson ’22 will pursue passions for cross-cultural exchange, education, and foreign languages in India and Nepal.
July 12, 2021
My Rollins Gateway: Lights, Camera, Activism
Renee Sang ’21 may be a local, but her Rollins experience took her well beyond the boundaries of Central Florida in her quest to illuminate social justice issues through documentary filmmaking.
“The Bonner Leaders Program supported my ability to foster community and cross-cultural understanding among my students, their families, and community members while on my Fulbright assignment. This experience helped me grow in my ability to listen compassionately, continue to unlearn biases, and constantly ask how I can help. These skills are imperative when working with vulnerable populations. Most importantly, I wasn’t just a Bonner Leader during my undergraduate degree; I will uphold the values of the Bonner Leaders Program throughout my life, whatever community I am in, and I will continue to find service opportunities to give back.”