BonD: Building on Diversity

BonD is Roanoke College’s multicultural student pre-semester program designed to help incoming students build community, explore campus resources, connect with peer mentors, and begin building a sense of belonging before the academic year begins. Through workshops, local experiences, shared meals, and community-building activities, students gain familiarity with campus life while forming meaningful connections with fellow students, faculty, and staff.

BonD is rooted in the belief that students deserve to feel supported, valued, and celebrated for exactly who they are. The program encourages students to bring their full, authentic selves into the Roanoke College community while building connections, confidence, and community before classes begin.

For more information, please contact: 

Alayna Graves - 540-375-4973
Ashlee Williams - 540-444-2079

Register for BonD before July 31

BonD participants engage in a variety of experiences designed to support connection, belonging, leadership development, and a successful transition into college life. Program experiences may include:

• Peer mentor groups and small-group community building
• Leadership, communication, conflict resolution, and belonging workshops
• Campus resource and student success sessions, including walking students’ class schedules and becoming familiar with campus spaces and resources
• Community dinners and local food experiences throughout Salem and Roanoke
• Cultural social events, such as salsa dancing lessons
• Visits to local museums, art spaces, and community organizations, such as the Harrison Museum of African American Culture and the Taubman Museum of Art
• Outdoor recreation and group outings throughout the Roanoke Valley
• Community service and engagement opportunities
• Student organization networking and involvement opportunities
• Visits to local cultural markets and businesses throughout the Roanoke Valley
• Visits to local barbershops and beauty salons that provide culturally responsive and gender-affirming hair care services
• Group outings and community events, such as Salem Red Sox games.

Throughout the program, students are paired with peer mentors who help guide them through the transition into college life. Mentors serve as ongoing sources of support, encouragement, and connection both during BonD and throughout the academic year.

Through BonD, students have opportunities to:

• Build friendships and community before classes begin
• Connect with peer mentors, faculty, and staff
• Develop leadership, communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution skills
• Learn about campus resources and support systems
• Explore identity, belonging, and community engagement
• Gain confidence navigating campus life and college expectations
• Become involved in student organizations and campus initiatives
• Build familiarity with Salem, Roanoke, and the surrounding community

BonD is designed to help students begin the academic year feeling connected, supported, and valued for exactly who they are. The program creates space for students to build authentic community, explore their identities, and connect with mentors and peers who affirm and celebrate the experiences, perspectives, and communities they bring to Roanoke College.