"The best way to be invested in a community is to send you out there," the president of the Bonner Foundation told students at Tusculum College Tuesday evening.

Wayne Meisel, president of the Bonner Foundation, told the group of about 200 students, primarily freshman, that he is charged with distributing millions of dollars by the foundation and the best way to make a positive impact on communities is to provide young people access to higher education and an opportunity to serve.

The Bonner Foundation, one of the nation's largest privately funded service scholarship programs, works with about 70 universities and colleges, including Tusculum, to "create a culture of service on campus," he said.

Tusculum has experienced much growth in recent years, Meisel said, and students can build on that growth to create a culture of service on campus and make an impact not only at the college but in the local community as well.

The Bonner Foundation could give directly to community service agencies, he said, but the Foundation believes that the best way to positively impact communities is to invest in young people, who will in turn serve the community with their talents, energy, and ideals.

"Idealism is the nature of youth and students," he said. "If you're not involved, it is up to us in leadership positions to create a structure that will energize you."

Meisel encouraged the students to "reach out to people every day" in service to others and to address social issues to make a positive change in the community. "I have believed and still believe that young people can make that kind of a difference," he continued.

As the students go out into the community to serve, Meisel encouraged them to learn about and be sensitive to the needs of others. "When you go out into the streets, you go outside of your comfort zone," he said. "W hen you go out, you will be taking stereotypes of people that you have learned. Challenge those stereotypes. . . . When you go out and do service, do it with sensitivity."

Meisel told of one of his first experiences of service as a freshman at Harvard University. After being cut from the soccer team, Meisel said he went to the town and asked about coaching youth soccer. His question was met with some skepticism and he quickly learned of the tension in the "town-gown" relationship and the attitude toward students.

He was told that if he could find 30 volunteer coaches, a soccer league could be started. Getting together with other students who had been cut from the soccer team, the group went through campus and signed up 150 people who were interested in becoming involved.

This experience taught him two important lessons, Meisel told the students. The first was that people would become involved if they were asked. "It is saying to a person that I care enough about you to get you involved," he said.

The second was that "society held a negative view of young people and young people had negative ideas about themselves." This negative view sees youth as people who do not care and who say 'there is nothing to do," Meisel continued. "But, there is something to do."

Meisel said he has found that young people do care about the community. However, he said that one reason that youth don't get involved in service is an idea they don't have a talent or skill that can help others. Another is what Meisel described as "structural apathy," a situation in which young people are not challenged to become involved, and it is up to those in leadership positions in their lives to create that structure to provide opportunities and encouragement to serve.

"What I am asking you to do," he told the students, "is for you to use your imagination, your leadership, your talent and get involved."

Meisel's lecture was hosted by Tusculum College's Bonner Leader program and Center for Civic Advancement. The college's Bonner Leaders provided more than 3,600 hours of community service last year. The goal of the program is to transform the lives of students, the life of the campus, the local community and the world through service. A $1,000 tuition grant per semester is available for students accepted into the Bonner Leader program.

Bonner Leaders are required to fulfill 100 hours of volunteer time per semester, participate in group service projects, assume leadership roles, and serve in individual service placements. They may address such issues as improving educational opportunities, fighting hunger, literacy, drug and alcohol abuse or environmental concerns. Student members participate in regular training and reflection activities sponsored by the campus, their community partners and the Bonner Foundation.

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