WKU offering Bonner scholarships

Last fall, WKU started the inaugural class of Bonner Leadership Scholars, a cohort of service-minded students in a scholarship program coordinated by the WKU ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships.

Members of WKU’s inaugural class of Bonner Leadership Scholars are (from left) Jillian Weston of Indianapolis, Joanna Williams of Clarksville, Tenn., LeLand Cantrell of Bowling Green and Mernisa Hrustanovic of Bowling Green. Lee Calvert of Bowling Green (far right) is coordinator of the program. (Photo by Bria Granville)

“I really look forward to working at HOTEL INC each day. They have so many interesting projects ahead of them and I stay excited about the opportunity to be involved with them,” said Joanna Williams, a Bonner Leadership Scholar and WKU junior from Clarksville, Tenn.

Bonner Leadership Scholars complete 10 hours of community service, professional development and personal enrichment activities each week in exchange for their tuition scholarship.

Being able to offer a Bonner scholarship for service work is something new for WKU, but it is common to many campuses.  The Bonner Program began in 1990 at Berea College to help people in financial need. Bertram and Corella Bonner believed in the importance of education and sought to find a way to connect a college or university to the surrounding community. More than 80 colleges and university manage Bonner programs now.

“We are very excited to participate in the Bonner Leadership Scholar program and support our students’ leadership development through scholarship support.  We are confident that over time such partnerships with the national Bonner Foundation will continue to grow, allowing WKU students across the Commonwealth the opportunity to access higher education while experiencing meaningful service learning,” said Dr. Brian Meredith, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at WKU.

This first class is comprised of four students. In addition to Williams, other students are Jillian Weston of Indianapolis, LeLand Cantrell of Bowling Green and Mernisa Hrustanovic  of Bowling Green. Applications are being accepted for the 2013-2014 academic year. Any high school student with an interest in service and planning to attend WKU should apply by April 1. The application is available online at www.wku.edu/alive.  For information, contact Lee Calvert at the ALIVE Center at (270) 782-0082.