1. The Bonner Program:
Recruitment: From Selection
to Dismissal
“Access to Education,
Opportunity to Serve”
A program of:
The Corella & Bertram Bonner Foundation
10 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 924-6663 • (609) 683-4626 fax
For more information, please visit our website at www.bonner.org

2. Recruitment:
Overview
• Scholar & Leader Considerations
• Who & How to recruit
• Application & Selection
• Retention & Dismissal
www.bonner.org 2

3. Recruitment:
Scholar & Leader Considerations
Scholars Leaders
• Pre-college recruitment • Pre- or during college
• Four years • Two to Four years
• Must meet school’s admissions • You determine academic
requirements and be in top requirements
40% of class
• Not bound by same EFC
• EFC = Below $7,500 for at guidelines, though may want to
least 85% of class consider
• May or may not use • May or may not use
AmeriCorps—should offer to AmeriCorps—should offer to
all all
www.bonner.org 3

4. Recruitment:
Who to Recruit—Know Your Capacity
• Bonner Scholar Programs: Have an
established goal for each class, tied to financial aid
• Bonner Leader Programs: Strategically aim
for particular cohorts (aim to move from two to
four year program); often tied to Work Study and
AmeriCorps eligibility
• New Bonner Leader Programs: Strategically
select a goal for start-up; hand-pick students with
“access to education” in mind
www.bonner.org 4

5. Working Session
Part 1 — Plan your recruitment goals
• Number of first-years, second-years, third-years,
and fourth-years needed for next year
• What financial profile these students need to
have
• What financial resources your program will
provide these students (scholarships, aid, Work
Study, AmeriCorps)
• Other goals you have around diversity (gender,
ethnicity, international, etc.)
www.bonner.org 5

6. Recruitment:
Who to Recruit—Personal Qualities
• Service ethic - a student who has
demonstrated commitment and engagement in
service
• Recruit for diversity: reach out to people
of color, males, international students
• Intensity: Commitment to 10 hours/week of
service & related activity requires seriousness of
purpose
• Teamwork: You’re building a team that
impacts the whole campus
www.bonner.org 6

7. Working Session
Part 2 — Identify Recruitment Challenges &
Strategies to Tackle Them
• Diversity
• Financial
• Admissions Process
• Logistics
www.bonner.org 7

8. Recruitment:
How to Recruit—First Years
• Pipeline relationships with non-profits & schools
served by the institution (Allegheny College)
• Relationships with high schools (Carson-Newman)
• International connections (Mars Hill and the Sudan)
• Tap national networks (Stetson—Matt Morton,
identifying foster youth)
• Foster close relationship with Admissions Office—
shared timelines, Bonner staff early involvement
• Small schools notify all eligible students
www.bonner.org 8

9. Recruitment:
How to Recruit—Other Years & Replacements
• Pipeline relationships with other programs on campus
(First Year Service-Learning Seminar; Jumpstart)
• Relationships with other key staff members
(Multicultural Affairs, Deans, Athletics)
• For BLPs and new schools: think strategically and with a
multi-year plan in mind
• Relationships with Faculty—creative ways to build the
campus-wide collaboration and civic work
www.bonner.org 9

10. Recruitment:
Application—Criteria for Success
• Written information on school’s website (and
Bonner Program section)
• Questions elicit students’ experience with and ethic
for service
• Staff & student leaders are involved in screening
• Interview days & visits where possible
• Solidify incoming class by spring before (new
programs—exception)
• Thoughtful multi-pronged processes
www.bonner.org 10

11. Working Session
Part 3 — Identify Your Recruitment Pipelines
• High Schools/Community Colleges/Educational
Pipelines
• Non-profit Partners/Community Champions
• Key Campus Personnel/Departments
• Key Student Groups/Programs
• National/International Connections
www.bonner.org 11

12. Recruitment:
Selection—Interviews & Campus Visits
• Interviews on the phone or in-person help clarify
the student’s capacity for success (attitude, fit)
• Some campuses include parents in the recruitment
process (Emory & Henry)
• Preview weekends, with student-led team
projects, are a best practice (West Virginia
Wesleyan, Rider)
• Timeline corresponds with college’s overall
admissions timeline
www.bonner.org 12

13. Working Session
Part 4 — Discuss Your Application and
Selection Process
www.bonner.org 13

14. Recruitment:
Retention and Dismissals
• The good news—Bonner Programs generally have
higher retention for members than the institution
does
• Aim for 90%+ retention—CNCS standard
• The bad news—Some students may need to leave
(academic reasons, lack of compliance, health)
• Aim to have a clear exit policy and replacement
process
www.bonner.org 14

15. Retention / Dismissals:
Accountability Policies
www.bonner.org 15

16. Retention / Dismissals:
Accountability Policies
www.bonner.org 16

17. Working Session
Part 5 — Discuss Your Exit & Dismissal
Process and Plan to Recruit
Replacements
www.bonner.org 17

18. Recruitment:
Campus Examples
• Carson-Newman College
www.bonner.org 18