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WKU offers new scholarship through Bonner program for students

Bowling Green, Ky - Last fall, Western Kentucky University 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.

"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, TN. 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 Western Kentucky University, but it is common to many campuses. The Bonner Program began in 1990 at Berea College to help people in financial need. Mr. Bertram and Mrs. Corella Bonner believed in the importance of education and sought to find a way to connect a college or university to the surrounding community. Over 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, Vice President of Enrollment Management at WKU.

This first class is comprised of four students. These students are Jillian Weston from Indianapolis, Joanna Williams, LeLand Cantrell from Bowling Green, and Mernisa Hrustanovic from Bowling Green. Applications are now 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 1st. The application is available online at www.wku.edu/alive. For more information, contact Lee Calvert at the ALIVE Center by calling 270-782-0082.