The Bonner Leaders Program accepts work-study students with demonstrated leadership potential and a commitment to public service, providing an opportunity for them to engage in intensive community work supplemented by weekly capacity-building workshops and critical issues seminars.
Community Partners
We work with 15 local organizations addressing issues of education, youth development, food security, and community development.
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Want to know how you can become a Carolina Bonner Leader and improve the community while growing your skill set? Check this out.
About the Bonner Leaders Program
The flagship Bonner Leaders Program at UNC-Chapel Hill is part of a nationwide network of more than 80 colleges and universities that provide service-based scholarships and leverage federal community service work-study funds to support intensive undergraduate community service and social justice activities throughout students’ college careers. Each year, a diverse group of incoming first-year students are chosen through a competitive application process emphasizing service and leadership.
The sustained service program, housed in and staffed by the UNC Y, follows a four-year model designed to engage students in addressing community-identified needs. They initially work as direct-service volunteers, grow into project and site coordinators, and ultimately engage in public policy and community-based research.
The service requirement is significant – more than 250 hours per year – and is complemented by weekly meetings, leadership workshops, and capacity building seminars. It is a campus-wide, interdisciplinary initiative involving both Student Affairs and Academic Affairs.