By Lian Bunny
Photo Editor
Bonaventure is known for it’s alumni network. It is arguably one of the biggest draws of being part of the Bona family. The BV staff knows this all too well.
This sense of community and loyalty is one of the main reasons I decided to go to Bonaventure, when I was a senior in high school. The faculty, staff and alumni seemed committed to furthering current students’ careers and offering encouragement.
My interactions with Bonaventure alumni occur practically every time I wear anything with the school logo. These run-ins can be simple, such as a man at the Lewiston Art Festival reminiscing with me about his days at Bonaventure, or having a worker in a medical office parking lot yell across the blacktop, “Hey! I like your shirt. I went to Bonaventure too!” Even my mom commented on how Bonnies seem to pop up everywhere.
Neither of my parents have any past associations with Bonaventure, but they say they’ve never seen such deep school loyalty at any other college.
As a summer intern at the WBFO, Buffalo’s NPR news station, I ran into a Bona Bus-load of alumni. From a public relations worker at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center to a spokesperson for New York State Comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, fellow Bonnies saw my school email address and got excited. The “Go Bonas” exclamations were incessant.
I was also fortunate enough to intern with two Bonaventure alumni during the summer of 2014, one at a Christian television station and another at a local newspaper. We compared and contrasted Bonaventure then and now. I am living proof that the Bonaventure alumni care about current students.
And I’m not alone. When polled, 80 percent of the BV staff has received journalism career help from Bonaventure alumni, whether it was a recommendation, an internship or simply encouragement.
This shows journalism alumni are especially active. Just recently, The Bona Venture received an incredibly generous donation from one of our journalism alumni, a BV veteran. Although the donor would like to remain anonymous, The BV staff would like to thank the donor profusely for the gift. Thanks to the donation, The BV will print weekly this semester and be able to carry on the tradition of the paper since it’s creation in 1926.
In today’s world, where many people dismiss print journalism as “old news,” and social media is crowned king, it means so much that a member of the Bonaventure alumni would give so much to help the paper. This money not only expands our ability to produce quality newspapers, but it gives us a much-needed boost of encouragement. Being an editor at The BV is like having a full-time job while juggling a full class load. And while the rewards and skills the paper brings are more than worth the hard work, having people supporting us really means a lot. It inspires us to work even more diligently.
The BV is back.
Lian Bunny is the photo editor for The Bona Venture
