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| A Win-Win Arrangement |
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by Anne C. Paine
March 14, 2003 |
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A unique aspect of the Bonner program
as it operates on Oberlin's campus is freedom of
choice, according to Angela Logan, who directs the program
here. "At other schools, students are required to
choose from between four to six placement options. At
Oberlin, the sky's the limit—students can choose
from existing options or devise their own."
Several projects begun by students have been "bequeathed"
to younger students as the originators graduated. Projects
that have been handed down in this way include a chess
club in a local school, an anti-sweatshop project in the
College's purchasing office, and a crafts group for
inmates in a medium-security facility in Cleveland.
Other placements for Bonner scholars this year vary widely.
One student is working as a soccer coach. Several tutor
through America Reads, Oberlin Community Services, or
other arrangements in subjects that include math, Spanish,
and English as a second language. Several work as docents
in nearby galleries and museums. Another student is a
peer health educator at the Oberlin College Wellness Center.
Reflecting the Bonner Foundation's belief that "colleges
… have vital roles to play in society in nurturing
and mobilizing thoughtful, caring, and diverse leadership
dedicated to community service," the win-win arrangement
benefits both individual students and many local nonprofit
organizations. |
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