Waynesburg students participate in community service, leadership
Waynesburg University Bonner Scholars participate in a service project at World Vision Pittsburgh in Sewickley. (Photo courtesy of Waynesburg University)
Waynesburg University Bonner Scholars participate in a number of service projects. This group did some work at This Generation Connect in Pittsburgh. (Photo courtesy of Waynesburg University)
Waynesburg University Bonner Scholars enjoy a campfire at the Waynesburg Unity Trail. (Photo courtesy of Waynesburg University)
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The educational experience of 60 Waynesburg University students once again involved community service projects and the chance to be campus leaders throughout the school year.
They are the school鈥檚 Bonner Scholars, a program that provides a chance to earn scholarship funds through community service and leadership.
Waynesburg is one of just 22 colleges in the country that offers the prestigious Bonner Scholars program. Selected students receive financial assistance in return for a commitment to service while enrolled at the school.
鈥淭hey really are our student leaders on campus,鈥� said Adrienne Tharp, director for the Center for Service Leadership and Bonner Scholars program. 鈥淭hey help us run service projects on weekends. They鈥檙e running different initiatives. They鈥檙e just super-involved in a lot of different organizations throughout the community.鈥�
Typically, the students participate in service trips. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group has not taken part in such a trip since spring of 2020. However, students stayed on campus or went to a nearby location to perform service duties during spring break.
鈥淭hey had the opportunity to serve locally in the community, but we also were able to expand some of our resources and work with some of our regional partners,鈥� Tharp said.
Joula Anderson, a sophomore from Greensburg, participated in a clean-up effort at This Generation Connect, a Pittsburgh program started by a Waynesburg Bonner alumnus, and worked at the World Vision Pittsburgh warehouse in Sewickley.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a wonderful program,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think we do a lot of great things in the community and for everybody around the university. It鈥檚 a lot of fun. It鈥檚 brought me a lot of friends. I really enjoy it.鈥�
Jesse Hazlett, a junior from Youngwood, did some maintenance work with the Greene County Historical Society and site restoration and trail upkeep with the Waynesburg Unity Trail.
Some students worked with Greene County Habitat, during which they helped with refurbishing a house in Clarksville. Others were involved with the West Waynesburg Jesus Distributor after-school program.
Having a chance to be a Bonner Scholar attracted Hazlett to Waynesburg.
鈥淲henever I applied at Waynesburg University, I wasn鈥檛 just looking for the run-of-the-mill college experience,鈥� Hazlett said. 鈥淚 wanted to make the four years that I spent here meaningful. I think the Bonner program was something that gave me that opportunity.鈥�
Fifteen new scholarships are awarded each academic year. Once a student is awarded the scholarship, that student remains in the program all four years at Waynesburg, if they maintain specified requirements. Bonner Scholars complete 140 hours of service each semester, an average of eight to 10 hours a week. Students in the program must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Tharp said in some years there have been as many as 100 applicants for the coveted 15 spots.
Bonner Scholars receive many benefits, including annual cash awards to offset direct educational experiences, a living stipend while completing two summers of service and additional cash awards to offset educational experiences once summer service requirements are completed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 made me a much better person,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 opened my eyes to the different community members and different things going on with different people. It opened my eyes and heart to that a little bit.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely rewarding to not only do direct service where you鈥檙e helping people right in front of you but doing a lot of indirect service where you鈥檙e not able to measure how many people you鈥檙e helping, but you鈥檙e hoping it鈥檚 an exceptional amount,鈥� Hazlett added.
Tharp agreed that a benefit of being a Bonner Scholar is there鈥檚 the good feeling that comes with performing community service, but she sees others.
鈥淚 want them when they leave here to ask questions like, 鈥榃hy is this happening in our community? What can we do to fix this?'鈥� she said. 鈥淗opefully these experiences are going to help them in their careers, when they meet different people with different backgrounds. Hopefully, they鈥檒l know how to interact and help them. I really think having these experiences are going to shape their future and also the rest of our futures.鈥�