Students in the UH Hilo Bonner Program honored for their work in the community
A mix of family, friends, community partners, faculty, and campus administrators gathered to celebrate the hard work of the Bonner Program’s student leaders.
By Susan Enright.
A student support program at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo that coordinates paid positions for students in local organizations, celebrated the hard work of the program’s cohorts at an event last Sunday. Twelve students from the UH Hilo Bonner Program were honored, three graduating seniors presented their capstone projects.
The UH Hilo Bonner Program was launched two years ago during the pandemic by the university’s Center for Community Engagement with funding from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund that addressed the impact of the global health crisis on students, families, and educators across the state. The UH Hilo Bonner Program is part of the national Bonner Program network whose mission is to help develop student leaders who will have a positive impact on their communities. Through paid employment with community organizations, students acquire real-world skills that help them build self-esteem and the confidence to successfully tackle their academic studies, while also helping them prepare for meaningful careers and fulfilling lives.
2023 Bonner Celebration of Learning
Last Sunday, the Center for Community Engagement held its second annual “Bonner Celebration of Learning” to showcase the hard work of the students. Students in the program are called “student leaders,” and they commit to paid positions of eight to 10 hours per week that includes leadership training and on-site work with community organizations. The student leaders are committed to the program for their four years of study at the university (shorter tenure for current students since the Bonner program started in 2021).
A mix of family, friends, community partners, faculty and campus administrators were in attendance at Sunday’s event to celebrate the student leaders and their work in the community.
“It is remarkable to see the growth in the Bonner students, even from just a year ago,” says UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin, who attended the event. “The graduates are confident, capable, and ready to face the world as responsible citizens and leaders.”
“I am grateful to the staff of the Center for Community Engagement and to all our community partners for helping our Bonner students grow and flourish,” she adds.
At the celebration, three graduating Bonner student leaders presented their senior capstones, ultimately wrapping up their Bonner experience as they prepare for graduation.
Amena Tep, a double major graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in political science and administration of justice, presented her capstone, “Student Voices: Making Space for Mental Health.” Working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Big Island and UH Hilo Counseling Services, she conducted a series of student interviews to capture themes of mental health issues affecting students at UH Hilo in order to provide the campus community with recommendations for working together to address the growing problem. Following graduation, Tep will be moving to Austin, TX, where she will be joining the AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer program in a local public school district.
Isabella “Bella” Chapman is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marine science, a minor in political science, and certificates in teaching English as a second language and international politics. She focused her capstone project on providing better outreach and education to the public on the endangerment of Hawai‘i’s sea turtles. Bella surveyed the public on their knowledge of sea turtles to inform her project, ultimately creating a Frequently Asked Questions webpage posted on a website built by a fellow marine science student. After graduation, Chapman will be preparing for a two-year Peace Corps assignment in Albania where she will be teaching English as a second language.
Lavinia “Nia” Manufekai, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice, presented her capstone on forced labor human trafficking in Hawai‘i. Her project correlated with her senior thesis project in which she conducted research to understand the issue and identify state laws and action plans that support efforts to address human trafficking. For her capstone, she extended this to produce an informational resource for the public to build awareness and understanding of how citizens can aid and support victims in the community. Manufekai is excited to visit her grandmother in Tonga after graduating from UH Hilo, before continuing on the next steps of her journey.
The next cohort…
The Bonner Program is currently recruiting students for its third cohort, to begin this fall. Meanwhile, Julie Mowrer, director of the UH Hilo Center for Community Engagement, is building philanthropic and UH support to sustain the program. “This is still a work in progress,” she says.
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Learn more about the Bonner Program
Story by Susan Enright, a public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.
Maria Vicente, coordinator of the Bonner Program, contributed to this story.
