Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement

Bonner Leaders—AmeriCorps

Each year, approximately 12 TCNJ students receive support from the Corporation for National and Community Service and participate in the New Jersey Bonner Leaders Program.  These students participate for 1 to 2 years and, like all Bonners, spend 300 hours a year addressing the unmet needs of the local community.

The New Jersey Bonner Leaders program is a collaborative effort involving 4 colleges and universities in central New Jersey.   Rider University, Mercer County Community College and Middlesex County Community College have all joined TCNJ in this effort.    Overall, 70 college students have come together under this initiative.

7 non-profit community partners also receive support from the Bonner Leaders program.  These organizations receive full-time AmeriCorps positions—which allows them to recruit local residents to serve alongside and sometimes guide students from the various colleges.   These include:  Crisis Ministry, Elijah’s Promise, HomeFront, Princeton Young Achievers, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and the Trenton After School Program.

Finally, TCNJ is taking the lead on an initiative to support community college students and their access to 4 year institutions.  To date, 3 graduates of Middlesex County College and its BLP have transferred to TCNJ and joined the Bonner Program.   Bonner Center staff members were also instrumental in developing a BLP at Mercer County Community College, located in nearby West Windsor and Trenton.