The Bonner Center for Community Service and Learning brings together the campus and the community and provides students with an opportunity to understand and articulate ways in which they can give back.

Each year, 40 Bonner Leaders at Guilford perform more than 10,000 hours of community service as part of their commitment to the program. One of the first Bonner programs in the country, we pride ourselves on having sustained commitments to our core partners in community groups and specific high-need neighborhoods.

While the Bonner Center serves as the administrative hub for our Bonner Leaders program, it serves a much wider and more integrated purpose for our campus. Primarily, the center connects students with service opportunities within our immediate community, across the country, and around the world. For example, Guilford students have a meaningful relationship with the Center for New North Carolinians, where they reach out to Greensboro's immigrant and refugee community.

The Bonner Center offers:

• Assistance and resources for faculty members who wish to include service learning in their courses, sometimes providing assistance in getting grants, stipends, and workshops for service learning course development
• Service-oriented internships
• Alternative break service projects where students spend spring and/or fall break focused on a service project
• Non-credit service through ongoing campus groups or placement in service agencies off campus
• Forums and panels with community partners

Bonner Leaders

Every semester, each Bonner Leader completes 140 hours of service work. Students selected as Bonner Leaders have demonstrated, through the application for admission process, an extraordinary commitment to and engagement with community service. Bonners are expected to demonstrate a high level of financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Bonners attend monthly meetings that focus on service and community issues, as well as the productive accomplishments of their peers. Bonners also meet biweekly with their class to progress through the Bonner Programming Model.

Throughout their time at the College, Bonner Leaders participate in a First-Year Service Trip (typically taking place over Spring Break), Second-Year Service Exchange with another Bonner College, a Junior-Senior Capstone Project, and a Senior Presentation of Learning.

First-year students interested in applying should contact the Office of Admission at at 336.316.2100 or admission@guilford.edu. Learn more about the program on the Scholarships and Grants page.

Ongoing Service Sites and Programs

• Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR)
• Glenhaven Multicultural Afterschool Tutoring 
• Glenwood Together
• Guilford College Farm
• Oakwood Forest’s Gear Up Program
• Quaker Closet 
• Quaker Cupboard Food Pantry
• Shift_ED

Junior and senior students who have proven a commitment to service and are interested in a Community Engaged Internship may contact the Bonner Center to inquire about serving with one of the following community partners:

• Guilford 4 All
• Autism Society of NC
• Mi Gente 
• Guilford Dialogues 
• Doris Henderson Newcomers School
• Siembra
• African Services Coalition
• Greensboro Urban Ministries
• Greensboro Urban Ministries: Pathways Shelter
• Mustard Seed Clinic
• Beloved Community Center
• Faith Action International House
• Creative Aging Network
• Interactive Resource Center
• Center for New North Carolinians
• Volunteer Center of Greensboro
• The City of Greensboro Housing and Neighborhood Development
• The City of Greensboro Human Rights Department
• The City of Greensboro Office of Sustainability and Resilience
• Greensboro Housing Coalition
• YWCA

Community Scholars

The Community Scholars program provides students with the opportunity to earn Federal Work-Study (FWS) awards by working with a partner in Guilford County. The purpose of the program is to encourage students receiving FWS to participate in community service activities and encourage a sense of social responsibility. During their service work, students learn more about their community, impact the lives of local residents and earn part of their financial aid award.

These jobs are paid positions. Both on-campus and off-campus jobs can qualify, however, on-campus jobs must involve a program, project or service that is provided to the general public. On-campus jobs that serve only the College community do not qualify.

Community Scholars may serve at one of the above service sites. Should they wish to serve with a community service organization not listed above, they should contact the Coordinator for Civic Engagement and Bonner Program as this is permitted on a case-by-case basis.