Dickinson College
Practice Civility
Gilbert Bonafe '11, now at Harvard, says, "Dickinson not only prepared me, it inspired me." (Photo by Carl Sander Socolow '77)
College Advisor, National College Advising Corps
Major: English
What I love most about what I do: I love to see the joy that a student has after having been accepted to a college or university—when they come into my office, smiling from ear to ear.
The most challenging part of my work: Convincing a student that education is worth it. If a student thinks postsecondary education is a waste of time or that investing in the future is not worth it, convincing them otherwise is difficult.
How Dickinson prepared me for what I do: At Dickinson, I grew both socially and academically. Dickinson not only prepared me, it inspired me.
My favorite organization at Dickinson: Without Posse, I don’t think I would have succeeded at the same level.
The accomplishment I am most proud of today: Having a degree from a school like Dickinson. When I go back home to the Bronx to see my friends and family, I realize how fortunate and lucky I am to have been given the opportunity to educate myself and change my life. It is because of Dickinson that I am on my way to get a master’s degree from Harvard.
What “practice civility” means to me: It means approaching everyone in a manner in which goodwill, joy, humor, happiness, thoughtfulness, insight, vision and perseverance are nurtured!
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Published September 4, 2013