The Rider Bonner Community Scholar Program is a community service leadership development scholarship program that exposes members to issues social justice while providing them hands on experience to impact their community.

The Rider Bonner Community Scholar Program is part of a national network of eighty-seven American colleges and universities. The Bonner Foundation is located in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1990, they created the first Bonner Scholars Program at Berea College with the mission of providing access to college for students with no means of paying for school and an opportunity to become civically engaged in their communities.

What Do We Do?
Rider Bonner Community Scholars serve in small teams with several primary community partners to address issues of hunger, homelessness, adult literacy and risk youth in the Trenton area. Students accepted into the program are assigned to one primary site for the academic year based on their preferences and each agency’s needs. Some our primary community partners include:

• YMCA of Trenton
• The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen
• Enable, Inc.
• The English School
• El Centro Mentoring Program

Expectations for First Year Students:

• Attend required events such as Orientation and the First Year Service Trip
• Complete 8-10 hours of community service per week
• Attend weekly training and enrichment opportunities
• Complete at total of 300 hours of community service that includes the meetings

Benefits for all members:

• Receive a $1,132 Education Award upon the completion of 300 hours
• Receive at bi-weekly stipend totaling $2,175
• Priority registration for classes
• Opportunities to attend national conferences

For more information or questions contact Annie Pasqua at (609) 896-5247.