Bonner Leaders Program Connects Students to Nonprofits While Providing Financial Aid

Going to college in the middle of Downtown Pittsburgh gives students a chance to experience food, sports and culture just steps away from their classes. However, students known as Bonner Leaders are also interwoven into the fabric of the city’s nonprofits.

Zane Atkins, a sophomore political science major with a minor in public administration, is a Bonner Leader. Each week, he gives some time to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), which strives to improve Downtown with innovative programming.

The Bonner Program is a national organization that gives a unique opportunity to college students: financial aid in the form of either a scholarship or a work-study job held at a local nonprofit. The program is designed to provide the funding necessary to attend higher education and a chance to serve at the same time.

Students who have committed to Point Park and qualify for federal work-study are invited to apply to the program before their first year. Atkins says he almost missed out on the opportunity because “it was just one more application with another essay.” With his mom’s promptings, he completed the application and is so glad he did.

“One of the main benefits of the program is it gets us going places,” Atkins said. “The fact that I was able to get into a placement so easily and make money while I did heightened my experience at Point Park.”

Finding the Right Fit

At the beginning of the academic year, at an event that resembles speed dating, non-profits and first-year Bonner Leaders do a quick meet and greet, and then both parties rank their interest in one another. The best matches then complete 20-minute interviews. Then there’s a final ranking, which Program Manager Shawn Sweeney uses to match the students to their nonprofit assignment. Many of the nonprofits are Downtown, though some are outside the city.

Atkins was initially matched with an educational program in his first semester, but it became clear it wasn’t the right fit. By his second semester, the role at the PDP had opened, and he moved into it.

Atkins works in the District Development Department with Cate Irvin, senior director of economic development. Atkins is learning a lot about data analytics and statistics, especially working with spreadsheets and dashboards. The type of data could range from how the trees downtown are faring, to what streets are being power-washed, to what retail spaces are vacant.

This fit has been perfect. “The biggest seller for me was the ease of being able to do an internship with something in my major,” Atkins said. “I didn’t think I would be able to get this type of internship until I was in a master’s program.”

Though the work-study placement is not technically an internship, it functions like one, giving the Bonner Leader hands-on experience. As a bonus, unlike an internship, which is typically one semester, these placements are intended to last all eight semesters of a student’s college career.

“The nice thing about a four-year placement is you can grow into the role,” Irvin said. “Each semester — and even each month, with Zane — we’ve been able to add responsibility and growth for him. He’s so energetic about learning that he’s grown a lot faster than we had anticipated.”

 

Making an Impact on Community

One of the goals of Point Park’s Strategic Plan is Community Engagement. The Bonner Leaders Program supports that goal by getting students deeply invested in the well-being of the community.

Heather Starr Fiedler, Ph.D., professor of community engagement and leadership, directs the program. 

Irvin sees the benefit not only to the community but also to the student. 

“One of the things that often happens when you’re a student in a new university setting is you get into a bubble," Irvin said. "Bonner students are being forced to leave their campus bubble early on, and they’re getting a view of how these nonprofits work together and sync with the university. It gives them, from the beginning, a more nuanced sense of the place.”

Atkins' experience indeed confirms that. When asked why he chose Point Park, Atkins said, “As someone who wants to go into urban planning, I wanted to be in the city. Now, I can’t imagine being at another school because I’m so ingrained in Downtown Pittsburgh.”

Irvin said, “Bonner is a fantastic program, and we’re thrilled that Point Park is participating, but I can’t emphasize enough that Zane is a wonderful person who comes with such a wonderful attitude toward work. We all look forward to the days he’s in the office. He’s very much part of our organization.”

Point Park launched its Bonner Leaders Program three years ago. Roughly ten students from the first-year class join each year. In addition to the work-study, students meet once a week for leadership training through a Bonner Foundation curriculum. First-year students participate in a service trip and students complete a capstone project in their junior or senior year.

Other placements include the YWCA, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Foster Love Project, among many others. For more information, contact Shawn Sweeney, program manager, at ssweeney@pointpark.edu. 

Connect with Zane Atkins '27

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