The Second Year TCNJ Bonner students are traveling to Richmond, VA on May 21st through May 24th! The Bonner Enrichment program was created to provide TCNJ Bonner students with a series of service trips to increase knowledge of democracy and citizenship. The service trips start with bringing students to the birth of democracy in Philadelphia. It then progresses to learning about the struggle for equality during the Civil War in Richmond, to the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta, and finally to address the needs of a developing country on an international scale.

These trips are opportunities to start making connections between service at our sites in Trenton and the larger scale of social justice. They expand on how our "movement" is connected to earlier movements that sought to empower others, treat others equally, as well as improve quality of life for all. The heart of these service trips are to give us a foundation of understanding of our nation's political history so in the future we will be more likely to participate in the political processes to bring change on the law-making level.

In Richmond, our Bonner Community Scholars will learn more about the history and impact of the Civil War in the struggle for democracy by visiting museums and historic sites, including the Richmond Slave Trail and the American Civil War Center. The Bonners will also conduct service at Richmond-based sites including Boaz and Ruth and the William Byrd Community House. This blog is an opportunity for our students to share their experiences and reflect on the time they spend in Richmond and the impact it has on their ideas on the struggle for democracy and social justice.