Senior online Criminal Justice major Matthew Bonestell lives a life dedicated to public service
Senior online Criminal Justice major Matthew Bonestell had been working in law enforcement for seven and a half years before deciding he wanted to earn his bachelor’s degree. Bonestell earned his associate degree from the police academy at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute in 2017, but after years of having to pass up professional development programs that require a four-year degree, he decided it was time to take the next step.
Bonestell is currently an officer with Cornelius Police Department outside of Charlotte, where he has worked for about two and a half years, but his career as a police officer is not his only experience in public safety. He served in the Marine Corps reserves for six years after graduating high school and worked for Beech Mountain Volunteer Fire Department before pivoting to police work and starting his education at Caldwell.
While the potential for promotions and an opportunity to earn his advanced law enforcement certificate—the highest professional certificate a North Carolina police officer can earn—have been driving factors for Bonestell, he has also been motivated by the relationships and perspectives he has been exposed to throughout his time at Lees-McRae.
“It’s a different view. You have one view in law enforcement, but when you come to college, all your discussion posts and stuff come from a completely different point of view,” Bonestell said. “Other students come from all facets of life, and that’s why I like online classes. You have people getting their degrees who are 50 years old, and some are 18 or 19 just getting out in the world for the first time. It’s just really interesting getting to see other people’s points of view, and it helps me in my job.”
Bonestell also foresees his bachelor's degree coming in handy outside the line of duty where he operates a 501c3 nonprofit called Badge for Badge, a community-based peer support organization that organizes fundraising social events to benefit military personnel, police officers, fire fighters, and medics.
The mission of Badge for Badge is more than just social, however. Bonestell was inspired to found the organization after witnessing the burnout and negative mental health effects of these careers first-hand. He wanted to create an environment where professionals could form genuine connections and discuss their challenges and fears in a supportive environment without the fear of backlash or judgement.
“People can come and through camaraderie start to talk to one another,” he said. “My new goal is to try to get peer support teams within each agency in the county. I want to try and work on that, and that’s another reason I wanted to get the degree too. I wanted to be able to get peer-reviewed sources and create a proposal to get a county-wide peer support program.”
Whether in support of his own career or in support of the men and women he serves through Badge for Badge, Bonestell said that continuing his education will make him a more well-rounded professional and public servant. With his name on the newly rededicated campus veteran’s memorial, his legacy will live on here in Banner Elk and beyond.
