Enrollment & Eligibility

Click Here to Download the Enrollment Workbook
In order to enroll, please print and fully complete the workbook and drop it off at the Bonner House or send by mail.
Click here for our mailing address or to request a hard copy of the workbook.

Minimum Eligibility
In order to be eligible to enroll in the Bonner AmeriCorps Program at Concord University, the student must be a Concord University student that will take at least 2 more years to complete his or her program of study. In addition, the student must be a United States citizen, a national, or a legal permanent resident that is at least 17 years of age. The student must also be willing to undergo a criminal background check. Lastly, the student must have the desire to impact his or her community!

In addition, students will need to support their eligibility with legal documentation (such as an original birth certificate).

What Kind of Service May I Participate in to Earn my Award?
Almost any kind of service to the community will qualify including working on any number of interest areas that you might have. Do you want to work on environmental issues? For a local community kitchen or food pantry? As an advocate for housing rights for the homeless? Finding homes for abandoned animals? Coaching a youth sports team? Helping children understand the family court process? Developing a new outreach program? All of those would qualify, as would many other service activities.

And, yes, some work-study positions on campus would qualify and you could earn your award while also earning your work-study. Work-study activities that offer direct service to the community such as federal TRIO programs (Upward Bound, Student Support Services, McNair Scholars) would likely qualify.

What's easier to answer is what kinds of service won't be eligible to count towards your award.

One particular concern is work for faith-based organizations. Bonner AmeriCorps encourages students to work with faith-based organizations, and working with these organizations can meet the requirements for the award. Basically, as long as you are offering a direct service to the community through a faith-based organization, it qualifies. However, service to support worship services, to proselytize or try to convert someone to a specific faith, or general clerical work for a church, synagogue, mosque, or other worship facility does NOT qualify.

In addition, here are the official lists of service that cannot meet your Bonner AmeriCorps requirements:

The following activities will NOT count towards meeting a Bonner AmeriCorps member’s service requirement either during the school year or in the summer:

§ service on behalf of a private, for-profit company or organization;
§ activity that falls into the categories outlined in the AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities (see below);
§ service on behalf of a political organization or campaign
§ pure, scientific research in a laboratory or health organization;
§ ROTC or any other military service;
§ clerical and/or administrative work for government agencies
§ activity whose primary focus is to support worship, evangelical and proselytizing activities within church or para-church organizations. These activities include, but are not limited to, service that focuses on religious instruction, indoctrination or conversion. Examples include providing childcare at church in support of a worship service, teaching in evangelical and proselytizing programs, participating in a worship service, and clerical and/or administrative work for the organization. Please note that service with a religious or para-religious organization for the purpose of providing direct community service (e.g., tutoring, mentoring, providing goods to those in need, community justice programs, and crisis intervention) does qualify for Bonner service hours.

(a) At no time may the Member:
(3) Engage in any AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities that include:
§ any activity involving attempting to influence legislation or an election or aid a partisan political organization;
§ helping or hindering union activity;
§ engaging in religious instruction;
§ conducting worship services;
§ providing instruction as part of a Program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship;
§ constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship;
§ maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship;
§ engaging in any form of religious proselytization;
§ organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes;
§ impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements;
§ participating in, or endorsing events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political candidates, political platforms, proposed legislation , or elected officials;
§ or providing a direct benefit to a for-profit entity, a labor union, a partisan political organization, a religious organization, or a non-profit that engages in lobbying.

(4) Dedicate more than 10% of their total service hours to fundraising efforts.
(5) Dedicate more than 20% of their total service hours to training and enrichment activities.

For more information, please view the enrollment workbook or go to the Bonner AmeriCorps national website's FAQ.