Bonnie Keller, Buena Vista University

Bonnie Keller, a third year student at Buena Vista University, is a student leader who has been instrumental in volunteer and capacity building our alternative spring break program, Alternative Week of Offsite Learning (A.W.O.L.). Ms. Keller has been instrumental in volunteering and capacity building through her role as Co-VP of A.W.O.L. Bonnie has served in a VP role for two years. She originally started volunteering with the organization as a participant and eventually her passion for service grew and she applied to take on a leadership role. The A.W.O.L program has grown and changed over the years based on her determination to make it better and always to keep the focus on the organizations they are serving alongside. Bonnie has played a key role in mobilizing over 80 students in 5,000 hours of service. Ms. Keller has dedicated herself to making communities better, but she is always recognizing that it takes a team of committed leaders and agents of change to make an impact.
-Frederick Moore, President

Service has and always will be a priority in my life. While at Buena Vista University I have taken on many leadership roles that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and played a vital part in my development as a leader. Specifically, through my involvement and leadership in our alternative break program, I have and am continuing to self-transform into a dynamic and active citizen. I help develop, facilitate, and educate the participants in the alternative break program why the root causes of social issues is important to understand. Getting to see individuals grow and expand their knowledge on issues that they will be faced with both here and in the future is what I love makes service so great. Along with this, I am an AmeriCorps member who has completed 900 hours of service since freshman year, served as a mentor in the high school and on campus, and taken on many leadership roles in different clubs and organizations. Service is a self-transformational experience that has allowed me to gain and strengthen hard and soft skills that I will use for the rest of my life.  
-Bonnie Keller