Bonner is a service scholarship program that supports students who are committed to community involvement. Part of a network of similar programs at 74 colleges and universities across the nation, Ripon's Bonner Program combines community service, academic study of community issues, and a supportive team experience to help students develop into engaged leaders of their communities.

Members of the Bonner Program perform at least 300 hours of service in a calendar year, complete a series of skill-building trainings, and attend several team retreats throughout the year.

To help make this commitment possible, Bonners have access to both Ripon College scholarships and AmeriCorps Education Awards that can be used to pay tuition, repay loans, or make other education-related purchases. Students also have access to the resources on the Bonner network, which includes one-of-a-kind service trips, student conferences, and exceptional internship opportunities.

More information, including a list of criteria for the Bonner Program is available at our wiki site. You can also visit the Bonner Foundation Web site for more information.

Applications for each year are made available in late May, with interviews typically done during summer orientation. For more information about the program, contact Charles Oberweiser, coordinator of the Bonner Program at Ripon College.

"Our mission is our passion; which is service. We do not do service because we have to but because we want to. Helping the world one person at a time and seeing the change in their lives is by far the best reward."

   - Bonner Leaders 2006/2007

"Going forth as Bonners, bearing in mind that we are all in this together. We vow, hereinafter, that we will be leaders in our community, forming a bond through responsibility, enjoyable experiences, being educators by and through service, and contributing to the betterment and sustainability of our society one project at a time."

   - Bonner Leaders 2007/2008

"Our mission is to grow as an individual, a group, and a community by creating a bridge in order to give back to our community and change the lives of others while making lasting relationships."

   - Bonner Leaders 2008/2009