Camera lights flashed. Augsburg students struck modeling poses, alternating between runway-approved stoicism and wide grins. As each image appeared on the camera’s digital screen, the clothing they wore looked good.
Really good.
Lee’RayVone G’everdloaahn ’26 smiled wider than anyone as the reality of months of work was being realized in front of him. The smile was well-earned: He had spent much of his junior year creating connections with organizations across campus in support of Augsburg’s ShareShop, an on-campus resource that repurposes clothing, household goods, and other necessities for students for free.
As part of that work, G’everdloaahn discovered that many students assumed the ShareShop’s clothing was too low-quality for them to add to their wardrobe. To ensure students understood that wasn’t the case, G’everdloaahn created the modeling program, showcasing members of the campus community in fresh looks from the ShareShop.
“Seeing everything come together was very fulfilling,” he said. “The whole experience with the ShareShop showed me how well I can lead and how much I can give back if I’m given the opportunity.”
It’s also a shining example of the kinds of experiences dozens of Augsburg students have each year as part of the Bonner Community Leaders program. Augsburg transitioned in 2023 from the Leaders for Equity, Action, and Democracy (LEAD) Fellows program to Bonner, which is part of a national network of colleges and universities that work on campuses and with local community partners on a wide range of issues.
“It’s a wonderful, two-sided kind of impact: the impact on the student and the impact on the community,” said Coral Ramos, Bonner’s program manager at Augsburg. “For students, they’re able to have a group of peers who care and are making time for doing things on and off campus that relate to helping and engaging with the community. Through that, students can learn new things or deepen their knowledge. And the people we work with outside Augsburg gain a dedicated young person giving their energy and time to improving their local community.”
Four years of growth
The journey from Puerto Rico to Minneapolis is a little over 2,400 miles. During her first year at Augsburg, Genesis Loza ’27 said the distance often felt longer—that is, until her roommate mentioned the Bonner program. Intrigued, Loza dug deeper, discovering a ring of familiarity with her home culture.
“So much of what I was raised with in my country and family is similar to what you do with Bonner. You get to work with the community, exploring and investing in the area you’re part of,” Loza said.
Now in her third year in Bonner, Loza has invested not only in the community but in her own development as a leader. Her experience with 826 MSP’s after school program exemplifies why Bonner has been and remains such a strong realization of the university’s mission to educate students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. Bonner sits at the intersection of all those outcomes.
“It’s all about you wanting to better yourself and your community. You commit fully to gain an experience that you won’t forget,” said Teresa Kemp ’25, who recently partnered with the Brian Coyle Community Center in Minneapolis. “The possibilities for friendships and connections that you wouldn’t have gotten any other way are huge.”
Bonner students generally start in their first year at Augsburg and go through a cornerstone activity each year: a first-year trip to places like Chicago; a second-year exchange with Bonner students at other colleges and universities; a third-year leadership experience; and a senior capstone. Through it all, selected students—who typically come from lower-income or first-generation backgrounds—are paid to partner and work with a wide range of campus and community organizations.
“You have to show up on the regular, do whatever needs to be done, and be willing to share not just your skills but some of who you are. Learning will happen in that process, no matter what,” said Jenean Gilmer, program manager for community engaged education, who said Bonner stands on a decades-long foundation of community partnership between Augsburg and the surrounding Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. “So much of this kind of experiential learning is about feelings and relationships. It requires flexibility and openness, authenticity, and being clear about what you have to offer.”
Supporting students in their development of that authenticity is part of regular meetings and touchpoints for the Bonner students on campus, Ramos said. The program’s cohort model and intentional community-building help students build a tight-knit network of friendships and professional relationships, as well as leadership skills.
“It was such a supportive group, especially for me when I first got there,” Kemp said. “Transferring in as an older student, it was hard to make connections. I was fortunate in the Bonner program: Everyone was so welcoming, open, and wanting to learn from each other. It helped me settle in at Augsburg and became a community I really relied on.”
Those communities extend beyond Augsburg and Cedar-Riverside as well: As a national organization, Bonner connects students in its programs to institutions throughout Minnesota and the United States, especially during the sophomore year exchange. And with opportunities like Bonner Congress in Chicago, where case studies and solutions to community challenges are presented and studied, students widen their networks and broaden their ideas.
“The range of opportunities and experiences you can have as a Bonner student are pretty amazing,” Loza said.
‘So much more than that’
Back on campus during his senior year, G’everdloaahn appreciates the opportunity to talk about the value of his experience with Bonner. In fact, it’s at the heart of his senior capstone experience. As a student programming assistant with Bonner, G’everdloaahn is building on his own experiences to help shape even better ones for those coming after him.
“We’ve just started the Bonner Families program this year, where we’re funding three Bonner student leaders to guide their fellow students through their experiences,” G’everdloaahn said. “I’m really excited to see how we can help students connect even more deeply.”
“The energy of where we’re at [as a program] and where we’re going is really exciting,” Ramos added.
As G’everdloaahn nears the end of his four years of growth as a Bonner student, his leadership skills, community network, and set of formative experiences have grown. His perspective, too, has grown.
“When I first learned about and joined Bonner, I essentially just thought it was a job. I didn’t realize it was so much more than that,” he said. “Now I’m doing everything I can to help other students and the rest of our community know it, too. Bonner has exceeded all my hopes and expectations.”
Top image: Genesis Loza ’27, Lee’RayVone G’everdloaahn ’26, and Beti Milashu ’27 attend their Bonner Leadership Team meeting. (Photo by Courtney Perry)