Bonnie's answers to several writing prompts

What I love most about the world is...

• the diversity and variety of nature and human experiences. It is humanly impossible to learn everything there is to know or experience everything there is to experience in this life; therefore, we rely on the knowledge and experiences of others to enhance our own understanding of this world. I believe that it is through the synthesis of the knowledge, experience, scientific findings, etc. that really contributes to the progress of learning about ourselves and our world.

The world would be a better place if…

• everyone had a dog to love them unconditionally
• we had more tolerance and respect for others regardless of their background, thoughts, or beliefs.

What I would like to maintain about the world through my work as an educator is…

• our desire to learn about people and the world that we live in
• the international exchange of ideas and knowledge for the betterment of humankind

What I would like to change about the world through my work as an educator is…

• to contribute to the personal growth and fulfillment of others
• to share my own love of learning to inspire others to always continue their own learning

I want my students to be…

• open to new ideas and people
• self-motivated
• comfortable with cooperative learning with an open exchange of ideas
• able to maintain a beginner’s mind, in that no matter how much they believe they know, students are able to approach each new situation believing that there is always something new to be learned.

Bonnie Rivas' imagined obituary

Bonnie Elizabeth Rivas, age 91, died yesterday. After a fulfilled life, she died peacefully in her sleep. She is survived by her daughter and stepdaughter, Brieanne and Rianna, her stepson, Manuel Alejandro, 6 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. Bonnie did her best to live her life with no regrets, enjoying every moment she was blessed with in this life. She will be remembered for her work in animal rescue and international higher education. At age 35, she established the Angels on Earth Canine Sanctuary, and has helped to bring the unconditional love that only a dog can provide to many families across the U.S. During her 30 years of professional work with Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Universidad de Margarita in Margarita Island, Venezuela, she has improved the educational experience of students attending these colleges. She shared her love for psychology freely, and could seemingly convince anyone of the benefits of gaining as much education as possible not only for professional preparedness and development, but also to maximize ones personal potential. She was a wonderful example of a lifelong pursuit of education, receiving her B.S. in Psychology in 2007, her M.Ed. in 2009, her Ph.D. in Instructional Design in 2021, and most recently a second Ph.D. in Educational Psychology in 2041. Bonnie’s volunteer work centered on assisting individuals and families to become citizens of the U.S., to become assimilated into U.S. culture, and to become involved in their local communities. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Angels on Earth Canine Sanctuary.