The Rising Senior Fund helps rising seniors in the Bonner Scholars Program cover costs for summer placements, internships, or opportunities tied to their academic and career goals. It’s designed to give you the financial support to pursue these experiences, whether that’s covering travel, professional clothing, supplies, or other related expenses.

If you have any questions about the fund or need help with the application process, reach out to _______.

Uses for the Rising Senior Fund

Bonner Scholars are eligible for $500 in the summer prior to the senior year or during their senior year to support any of the following:

• a service placement in the summer prior to your senior year,
  • Example: “This summer I will be in Washington D.C. participating in a legislative internship where I will learn about the law-making processes and provide support to legislators who are working to make change through legislation. I am requesting these funds to support travel cost to DC for my internship and back to Atlanta when it ends. I am also applying to attend graduate school for either public policy or public-school administration and some of the funds will be used to support application fees.” —Spelman College Senior
• a service project you are involved with,
  • Example: “One event we held over the summer was the History and Genealogy Convention at the library. We had people from all over Kentucky come to give speeches about the work they do in tracing legacies. I met someone there who talked about tracing the lost legacies of slaves throughout American history and digitizing them. This work meant a lot to me and we continued to talk. If I want to pursue this work further, I need a good laptop to progress this. My work would include developing more approachable websites and setting up online displays for them.” — Centre College Senior
• costs to attend a training conference or job interview that will help your career aspirations,
  • Example: “The purpose that I am requesting this money is to put it towards my Board ofCertification as well as my licensure for athletic training. I am in a three plus two master's program for athletic training. I graduated in spring of2022 with my bachelor's degree in exercise science and will complete my masters this coming spring of 2023. I will take my boards to be able to be a certified athletic trainer and get my license so I will be able to practice in Kentucky. Once I have completed both of these tasks, I would like to use any left-over money to get any supplies or clothing needed for my new job.” — Waynesburg University Senior
• costs related to your graduate school exams or application fees, or
  • Example: “I will be using these funds, if received, to pay for the LSAT as well as law school application fees. The LSAT is $215 per test and law school application fees can be up to $75 each. These funds would offset these pre-graduate costs and assist in this financial burden. I plan on taking the LSAT in either June orAugust, which indicates why it is essential that I apply for these generous RisingSenior Funds for this summer.” — Mars Hill Senior
• professional clothing
  • Example: “I intend on securing a job prior in the public sector prior to applying to law school. While I am still actively searching, I do hope to work somewhere in the legal field or that is adjacent to law, given my intention on becoming a lawyer after a brief gap year. The money I am requesting to use will go towards professional attire for any law school or job interviews, as well as for any business/business casual attire required in the workplace.” — University of Richmond Senior

Application Questions

To apply, complete the application using the link below. Make sure to address the following:

• Prior Summer Service: Briefly describe your previous Bonner summer service placements and explain how they have impacted your personal development.
• Proposed Activity: Describe the summer service placement or activity for which you are requesting funding. Explain how the funds will be used.
• Connection to Academic/Career Development: Explain how the proposed activity connects to your academic, career, or personal development. If returning to an organization you’ve worked with before, describe how your role or responsibilities will expand or change.

Application Form & Process

We encourage you to draft your responses in another program (i.e., Google Doc, Word, Pages) and then copy and paste your narrative responses in the application form below.

Responses to the application questions are submitted to your Bonner director or coordinator, who will then forward it to the Bonner Foundation for final approval. These proposals must be received by the Foundation prior to the time period for the use of these funds.

Rising Senior Fund Application Form