Dear Young Alumni Bonner,

Opportunity. Experience. Growth. Reflection. Support. Service. Hope. Life-changing. Bonner Love. These words come to mind when I think back to my days at Maryville College as a Bonner Scholar. I’m not sure any of us knew exactly what we were getting into when we signed our lives over to the Bonner Foundation and shackled ourselves to the CCM for four years. Now, looking back, I can’t imagine my college experience not including Bonner. What would I have done with all my time? I – we – gave a lot. We gave when we were tired, we gave when we were stressed, we gave when we needed to be studying, and we gave even though we had practice. We each gave over 2,120 hours of our time to others.

Through this journey our lives were transformed along with the lives of others. Each of you has a story, much like mine: how a Bonner placement opened your eyes to the needs of others, the importance of service that instilled in you the confidence to carry change beyond your college years, or how that a-ha moment changed the path you had already planned out for your life.

Bonners are still changing lives while the program transforms theirs. Current Bonner, Joey Courtney ’11, made a video about the Bonner program. Watch it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwiasErx4Mw.

Now we have the ability to give back so students at Maryville College have the opportunity to experience the growth, reflection, support, service, hope and life-changing Bonner Love that we experienced. The Bonner Foundation has committed a $4.5 million matching grant to permanently endow Maryville College’s Bonner Scholars Program if the College can raise the $2 million match required to secure the larger gift. We have until August 1st to raise this money, and what better show of support than if Bonner Young Alumni play an integral role of reaching the goal? Of the $2 million, the Bonner Young Alumni fundraising goal is $5,000.

If you already give to Maryville College, you can have your money specifically given to the Bonner Endowment Fund. If you do not currently give, I strongly encourage you to donate to the Bonner Endowment. You can even pay monthly by bank draft/EFT (They make it that easy!). Please give to assure that the Bonner experience will continue for today’s students as well as change our world for the better.

Bonner Love,
Elizabeth McKnight ’01

P.S. Visit http://www.maryvillecollege.edu/giving/supporting-mc-today.asp to make a gift. Click on “Designation,” choose “Other,” and type “Bonner” in Comments box.