Joey Banta
Graduation Year – May 2026
Hometown – Middletown, NJ
What is your major? If undecided, what field(s) are you considering?- Major in Psychology with a minor in Leadership Studies
What are your educational and/or career goals? How do you see your participation in the Bonner program relating to them? – I would like to go into therapy, and I feel that Bonner is helping me build the skills to be able to relate to and understand people from very different backgrounds and needs.
What is your service site and service track(s)? – Serve the City Peninsula; Community Development
Other than Bonner and your service site, what organizations are you involved with (on and/or off campus)? – Outside of Bonner and my site, I am involved in NAMI, and I work closely with many of the service-based clubs on campus through the on-campus STC Club.
Why did you want to become a Bonner Service Scholar? – I wanted to become a Bonner Service Scholar to challenge myself and be able to positively impact people’s lives throughout my time at CNU.
What is your favorite experience that the Bonner Program has given you? – I loved going on the first-year pilgrimage because it allowed me to get to know everyone in my cohort and really brought us together
What advice would you give to a new Bonner to help them get the most out of the program? – One very important aspect of being a Bonner is challenging and pushing your boundaries and what you’re comfortable with. There can and likely will be plenty of situations whether it is on campus or in the community where this could happen. It could be as simple as talking in front of big groups or even talking to people with opposing views on a topic. No matter what it is, you would definitely get the most out of Bonner by always challenging your comfort zone. Aside from that, as a first-year Bonner don’t be afraid to get to know your cohort right off the bat. Your cohort will experience a lot together over the next four years!
What have you learned about yourself from being a Bonner? – Bonner has been amazing in helping me overcome some of my fears. It taught me that most simple worries like talking in front of a crowd don’t really matter in the end, and afterward, you realize how easy it actually is to do something that you could stress so much about.
What do you think your role is in creating social change? What do you see yourself doing in the future to further your role? – I believe that my role in creating social change is making people smile. It is very easy for people to forget that we are all in one community, but that everyone in that community faces different hardships. To me, seeing a smile means that someone’s became better than it was before, and all it takes is some time out of the day to achieve that.
What are your hobbies and/or interests (outside of academics and Bonner)? – I love going to the beach, the gym, traveling, writing, swimming, gaming, history, mental health, philosophy, etc.
List your favorite book, movie, musician/band, food, and/or quote. – Book: Blood Red Horse; Movie: V for Vendetta; Musician: BoyWithUke; Food: Tomato & Mozzarella; Quote: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself” – Rumi
Share a little-known fact about yourself. – I was once the first person to get out in a spelling bee.
