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Meet the Bonner Scholars

Learn about the program through the eyes of current W&L Bonners

Bonners impact the community in a variety of ways at many different local agencies. At least 80 percent of a Bonner's term will be done in service, either in the local community during the academic year or around the U.S. and internationally during summer internships and service trips.

Meet the Bonners

Learn more about the Bonner Program by meeting current W&L Bonners:

	Danielle Breidung, '13 Hometown: Waunakee, WI Service: The Campus Kitchen at W&L (CKWL) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) "Bonner and the Shepherd Program were two of the primary reasons why Washington and Lee was so appealing to me during my college search. Fortunately, my intuition about the benefits associated with these two opportunities was accurate, and as a result, I have been able to complement my academic course of study with service-learning courses in addition to extensive community involvement. Bonner not only brings meaning to the theories and topics I study in the classroom, and but it also allows me to pursue my interests in recycling, food preparation, and bilingual education with other service-oriented students. Ultimately, Bonner is a wonderful opportunity for young leaders to develop the skills necessary to lead socially-conscientious organizations and corporations in the future."
Charlotte Collins, '14 Hometown: Dallas, TX Service: Big Brother Big Sister, Rockbridge Area Community Services Board (Prevention Intern), GirlTalk, Rockbridge County High School, Waddell Elementary School, Campus Kitchens Project, and Nabors Service League "To me, Bonner means community. Through the Bonner Scholar Program, I have become a member of not only the Bonner community but also the Rockbridge community. Bonner goes hand-in-hand with my education at W&L. I am currently studying to major in psychology and minor in poverty studies. My experiences with RACSB, GirlTalk, and Big Brother Big Sister in particular have all provided me with great insight into my studies."
	Kalli Havens, '13 Hometown: Millbrook, NY Service: Maury River Middle School, Waddell Elementary School, Buena Vista Head Start, Girl Talk, Lexington City Office on Youth, and CKWL. "I joined the Bonner program here as a sophomore and can honestly say that second to coming to W&L, it was the best decision I've ever made. I became a Bonner because I've always been passionate about service, and felt that the Bonner program could provide me with access to more opportunities to both get involved and develop leadership skills. Further, Bonner strengthens my abilities with its wonderful network of support. It has been a really great way to get to know students I might not have otherwise met at W&L; it has been really amazing connecting with other service-oriented peers who are passionate about similar issues and have common goals."
Daniel Hsu, '14 Hometown: Richardson, TX Service: Rockbridge Area Free Clinic, Maury River Middle School NEXT Program, Campus Kitchens "Volunteering and service to the community is the door between these parallel universes that connects people of different beliefs, ethnicities, cultures, and social classes. It is the way we transcend the boundaries that imaginary social rules dictate upon us and gain valuable insight into the lives of others that would have otherwise gone unnoticed."
	Olivia Kantwill, '13 Hometown: Charlottesville, VA Service:HeadStart (Lex), Campus Kitchens at W&L (CKWL), Tutor at Waddell Elementary, BGA Community Development Center in Marvell, Ark., Big Brother, Big Sister Program "I am a Bonner because I want to make a difference. I had always been raised in a family that served those around them and I did not want to stray from that when I came to college. Bonner is and has been the perfect program for me to continue my serving, find new places to volunteer and meet people to whom community service means as much to them as it does to me!"
	Kara Karcher, '11 Hometown: Highlands, NC Service: Project Horizon (local shelter for victims of domestic violence); Girl Scouts; Mountain View Elementary, volunteer coordinator and tutor; Volunteer Venture, Student Coordinator; House of Ruth Legal Clinic, Baltimore, MD; Nuevos Horizontes Women's Shelter, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, "Bonner is a large part of what has made my time at W&L unforgettable. Not only have I made a great group of friends with people I might not have met otherwise, but I have also become a member of the Lexington community, where I have found endless opportunities to give back and learn from community residents outside of the W&L campus. As a Poverty Studies and Women's and Gender Studies double minor, my Bonner service is a direct extension of the issues and debates I have studied in the classroom. Being a Bonner Scholar means that my education doesn't stop in the classroom, and it is through this ongoing 'service learning' that I have been able to discern my passions and goals for my future beyond W&L."
Katja Kleine, '14 Hometown: Cary, NC Service Sites: Community Financial Freedom (CFF), Magnolia Center, NEXT Afterschool Program, Parry McCluer High School "I am a Bonner because I want to enhance my education and broaden my perspective. As an Economics Major and Poverty Minor, service provides personal experience to go along with my coursework. My service sites have shed light onto many different national and international issues and potential solutions. No matter how many books I read or coursework I do, there is no substitute for getting to know somebody and experiencing issues first-hand. Additionally, I have learned to see everyday life from different viewpoints. I have made relationships with people of different ages, abilities, upbringing, and races. All of these relationships impact my priorities and long-term goals."
	Joe Landry, '13 Hometown: New Ipswich, NH Service: Campus Kitchens at Washington and Lee; Rockbridge County High School; Massachusetts Justice Project "As someone who has taken several Shepherd Poverty courses (with a desire to take more in the future) I have found that my service as a Bonner has been the perfect complement to this academic work. For example, in the classes that I have taken, we have learned about housing policy in the United States. As a Campus Kitchen volunteer at a local low-income housing complex and a legal intern helping low-income clients find housing and defend themselves against a loss of housing, I believe that I have obtained both an abstract and a practical grasp of this issue. In order to really understand the issues facing our communities, classroom learning needs to be accompanied by direct service. The commitment that the Bonner program demands is perfect for anyone seeking this balance."
	Kathryn Marsh-Soloway, '13 Hometown:Woodbridge, CT Service: Campus Kitchens at Washington and Lee (Nutrition Education Intern); Volunteer Venture Trip Leader; Co-chair of Big Brother, Big Sister. "I've really enjoyed building relationships with the clients of Campus Kitchens. There's no better feeling than walking into a place and having people be genuinely excited to see you and appreciate the work that Campus Kitchens does. My favorite moment this summer has been the chance to talk to the kids at the YMCA and LCOOY about nutrition. There was one day when we made salsa from scratch and compared its nutrition facts to other store bought salsas. At first a lot of the kids were reluctant and even negative about trying something new, but after a few kids tried it everyone joined in. Eventually everyone had tried it and loved it! It was great to take kids out of their comfort zone and have them try something new that they enjoyed."
Alex Shabo, '12 Hometown: Hingham, MA Service: Campus Kitchens; GirlTalk; Big Brother/Big Sister Program; Psychology Research on Rural Rockbridge Adolescents; after school program at the Big Ugly Community Center (Big Ugly, W.Va.) "Being a Bonner is more than just a way to do community service, it is a way to feel more connected to the Rockbridge community as a whole. It adds purpose to a lot of what I do academically and in my daily life routines. I am able to learn about the various areas in the Rockbridge County outside of the W&L bubble."
	Alvin Thomas, '14 Hometown: Skokie, IL Service: Rockbridge Area Free Clinic; Campus Kitchen at W&L; Nabors Service League, Volunteer Management Chair; Fairview Elementary; Rockbridge County High School; Maury River Middle School, NEXT; Big Ugly Community Center (Big Ugly Creek, WV) "I am a Bonner because service allows me to be an agent of change that can transform the world. Service has become an integral part of my education; the Bonner program provides a community and forum to discuss the lessons learned from my service, build my leadership skills, and develop a broader understanding of social justice issues. Basically, Bonner has become a medium of making connections and building relationships with the community and other agents of change."
	Shiri Yadlin, '12 Hometown: Irvine, CA Service:Campus Kitchens at W&L, Lylburn Downing Middle School; Maury River Middle School; N Street Village, Bethany Women's Center (Washington, D.C.) "The service I've done as a Bonner has given me the opportunity to interact with demographics I never would have encountered otherwise. Working with such diverse groups has opened my eyes to issues beyond my daily life, enabling me to view my personal and academic experiences in a different light. I've been able to step out of the W&L tower and see the real Rockbridge Area, making my time at W&L more meaningful that it would have been otherwise."