Annual Fund
2010 has been a banner year! We have expanded our impact through innovative new partnerships and opportunities which are highlighted in this report. Please join us to make a difference in leadership and include Coro in your year-end giving. You will be receiving our annual appeal in the mail shortly; 65% of our budget comes from supporters like you. We thank you for your continued and generous investment in Coro. It means so much!
And for alums – don’t miss our Coro Alumni Challenge! Up to $25,000 of your contributions will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a fellow alum. We are aiming for 100% participation.
November Elections
Coro’s mission is to create the next generation of leaders and Coro graduates were well represented in the November elections. We want to congratulate all of those in the Coro family who ran for public office and recognize a number of successful “Coro candidates”:
Libby Schaaf, Coro Community Fellows Program, San Francisco, was elected to the Oakland City Council,
Malia Cohen, Coro Fellow in Public Affairs, St. Louis, was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors,
Jean Quan, Coro City Focus, San Francisco, was elected Mayor of Oakland,
Debra Bowen, Coro Community Fellows, Los Angeles, was reelected California Secretary of State,
Michael Bennett, Coro Fellow in Public Affairs, New York, was elected US Senator from the State of Colorado,
Jerry Lewis, Coro Fellow in Public Affairs, San Francisco, was reelected for a 16th term to Congress, Republican from California 41st District.
We congratulate all Coro alumni who have chosen to lead and who are committed to listening, building consensus and compromise. If I have missed you, please let us know!
Partnerships
Among our accomplishments this year is a new partnership with the University of San Francisco. It has been some time since Coro Northern California has had a partnership with a local university. We are excited to offer our Fellows an opportunity to pursue a Master’s in Public Policy at the Leo McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good at USF after they graduate from Coro. We are also working with USF to add a Coro component to their curriculum!
Another partnership I want to highlight is an after-school program at San Leandro High School. We are creating curriculum to engage students and to develop a culture of leadership. High school age youth are most likely to get into trouble during the hours of three to six; to combat the cycle of violence, San Leandro High School is working to expand their after-school programs. We hope to use our work in San Leandro to create a model for other high schools.
Thomas Friedman’s column in Sunday’s New York Times, (November 20, 2011) was entitled “Teaching for America.” Friedman refers to the work of Tony Wagner, the Harvard-based education expert and author of “The Global Achievement Gap.” Wagner believes there are “three basic skills students need if they want to thrive in a knowledge economy: the ability to do critical thinking and problem-solving; the ability to communicate effectively; and the ability to collaborate.” These are all core components of the Coro Exploring Leadership Program. Our partnership with San Leandro High School gives us the opportunity to make an impact in a school that is looking toward the future.
Coro Leadership Network
Finally, last month we inaugurated our Coro Leadership Network (CLN), hosting our first seminar in leadership. It focused on the Neuroscience of Leadership based on the work of David Rock. It was a terrific first event! Out next program, on Wednesday, January 12, 2011, will feature our own David Sibbet discussing his new book “Visual Meetings: How Graphics, Sticky Notes and Idea Mapping Can Transform Group Productivity.” We invite the Coro community to join us.