Waynesburg University offers many scholarships for students, including the Bonner Scholar Program. There are various criteria to meet for those who may be interested in the program. Two Bonner Scholars, as well as  the Assistant Dean of Student Development, gave some insight into these standards. 

Adrienne Tharp, who is the assistant dean of Student Development, oversees the Bonner Scholars program alongside Grace Deep, who also serves as a resident director and bonner coordinator. Tharp spoke on her role, the many contributions each of these students offers to the program and the organizational perspective. 

“Service is not just for our Bonners it’s for everyone, so Bonners are just a small group of students that have an extra bit of requirement,” Tharp said. There are currently 60 students in the program, and 25 different places to choose from for these students to do service. Students are encouraged to participate in eight to 10 hours of service per week to meet the requirement of 140 hours per semester, Tharp clarified. 

“Students can kind of pick where they want as freshmen. We give them a checklist and ask out of the 25 places you need to try six to eight of them,” Tharp said. “I encourage students to find placements that align with their career and academic goals.” 

Tharp continued on how students can learn from service and are given many opportunities that can contribute to their field of work. “What is unique is when a student is somewhere consistently they’re building a whole network outside of campus, so they are gaining the experiences and meeting people with connections.”

Lluvia Suarez, a sophomore Bonner Scholar, explained her experiences as she entered her second semester of being a Bonner Scholar. 

“A day in service can look like helping organize things, giving our time to play games with children, adults or elders and helping clean outside,” Suarez said.

     The weekend of Sept. 13, Bonner Scholars went to serve at the Love Greene Project. 

“We arrived and they gave us breakfast. We were divided up into teams where we would go to different locations based on groups,” Suarez said.

In Suarez’s time as a Bonner, she has accomplished and participated in various aspects and learned valuable lessons. “Being a Bonner has taught me that I can make a big impact with a small act of service. It is important to say yes to helping,” Suarez said. 

Bonner Scholars have summer service, which requires them to complete 280 hours of service. “I went to serge at Camp Allegheny for eight weeks. I reached children from five years old to 13. I learned endurance because we must always be giving 100 percent, even when tired… I learned that in order to be able to serve, you must always carry the purpose in why you serve in your heart,” Suarez said.

Megan Barry, a senior student-athlete and Bonner, verbalized a possible day in her life as a Bonner Scholar, and detailed her current service along with past accomplishments. When asked how the busyness of being a Bonner, athlete and committed student affects her, Barry said, “It has really taught me how to manage my time better. I have really long days, and sometimes I’m up at 5:30 a.m., and don’t get back till 11:30 p.m., but I’ve learned to write everything down and keep a calendar.” 

Juggling other responsibilities with needed service can be difficult for many, but being a Bonner will instill the dedication, according to Tharp. She also noted that it also helps that many Bonner Scholars have previous experiences with service or volunteering, as Barry served in her high school’s Special Olympics, the polar plunge in Pittsburgh and served in her church. Now, she serves at First Baptist Coffee House on Tuesdays, as well as at Jefferson Baptist Youth Group. 

The fall of junior year is the last chance for students to become a Bonner. Being a Bonner Scholar is described as a “major commitment,” as students learn valuable skills that can be used in life or implemented into their careers. 

“Commitment, dedication and time management skills are what I look for, it comes down to the student and their drive,” Thrap said.