Waynesburg University is hosting The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation’s 2019 Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) on its main campus this week. The institute will run through May 31.
“We are excited to be hosting this year’s Bonner SLI,” said Adrienne Tharp, coordinator of the Bonner Scholars Program at Waynesburg University. “It’s such an honor to be able to showcase and highlight our campus, especially Waynesburg’s commitment to civic engagement. We have a 27-year history with the Bonner Program, and it’s exciting to be able to share our history with the entire network.”
It’s such an honor to be able to showcase and highlight our campus, especially Waynesburg’s commitment to civic engagement. We have a 27-year history with the Bonner Program, and it’s exciting to be able to share our history with the entire network.”
SLI is the largest annual event for the Bonner network, attracting more than 300 students, administrators, faculty and representatives of local, national and international organization partners for three days of workshops, discussions and networking, according to the Bonner Foundation’s website.
The 2019 theme is “Leaving Your Fingerprints,” which focuses on the concept of place and how valuable each Bonner community is to making positive social change.
All programming concentrates on deepening community partnerships, supporting and developing students and building vibrant, sustained infrastructure for campus-community engagement.
The Waynesburg planning team has been at work on the event since January. The team includes Kelley Hardie, assistant dean of students, and Tharp, along with students Briana Armenia, Sam Barlow, Nic Burgess, Sara Byler, Rachel Frederick, Sophie Hicks, Becki Hyland, Sam Hyland, Sami Larson, Harry Oakes and Jessica Oakes.
“Our student planning team has been outstanding,” said Tharp. “They have really gone above and beyond on the nuts and bolts of this conference.”
The students helped to select the speakers, workshop themes and evening activities, among other aspects of the event.
“Hosting the SLI at Waynesburg is an opportunity to bring together both Bonner Scholars and the Waynesburg community,” said Burgess, a senior nursing major. “Our community speakers will showcase different ways to have a lasting impact through the theme of ‘Leaving Your Fingerprints.’”
Many of the evening activities planned are traditions on the Waynesburg campus, such as Coffeehouse, Boardwalk and Movie Night, WUAU and Project Linus, a service project through which students make blankets for those in need.
The Tuesday evening opening session featured guest speakers Colonel Mike Belding, retired from the United States Marine Corps; Waynesburg University President Douglas G. Lee; and Waynesburg University Chancellor Timothy R. Thyreen.
For more information about Waynesburg’s Bonner Scholars Program, contact Tharp at atharp@waynesburg.edu or 724-852-3460.
For specific information on the Bonner Foundation, contact Liz Brandt, community engagement director, at liz@bonner.org or 609-924-6663.
2019 Summer Leadership Institute
Photos from registration and the opening session.
The Bonner Foundation
Click below to learn more about The Bonner Foundation. To learn more about Waynesburg's Bonner Scholars Program, call 724-852-3460 or email atharp@waynesburg.edu.
