Recruitment and Selection Process
Eligibility
Candidates for the Fellows Program in Public Affairs are bright, self-motivated individuals who are committed to civic engagement. A Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required and post-graduate academic and/or work experience is desirable. Most candidates have been active in civic or campus activities. Evidence of leadership potential and concern for the well being of communities are also criteria for selection. Fellows come from all academic disciplines, careers and racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Recent classes have ranged in age from 21 to 58.
Selection Process
As part of Coro's national process, applicants must send their application to the Coro Center located nearest them. Based on a review of written applications, Coro will invite finalists to attend a daylong assessment at that center city in March. Candidates are notified of their acceptance to the program in April and are placed in one of five Centers.
During the application process, candidates are asked to indicate any connections or resources in center cities that would assist them personally or financially. However, candidates must still apply through the center to which they are nearest geographically. The selection of finalists is a national process. Applicants who limit the locations in which they are willing to accept the Fellowship will reduce their chances of being selected as a Coro Fellow.
Coro is a tax-exempt, non-partisan educational institution supported by foundations, corporations and individuals. Coro does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or physical disability.
Tuition and Financial Assistance
Tuition scholarships vary by center and year to year.
Center Specific Information
Coro Southern California, Los Angeles
Coro Southern California provides each Coro Fellow in Los Angeles a tuition scholarship of $5,000 and a stipend of up to $1,200 per month. Assistance in locating affordable (reduced or no-cost) housing is also available. An administrative and materials fee of $500 is due upon acceptance into the program. Owing to the size and distance between the communities in the Southern California area, participants must have access and use of a car.Coro New York Leadership Center, New York
Coro New York Leadership Center waives the cost of tuition, excluding the $350 deposit, for all Fellows in New York. Stipends in New York are given in amounts up to $9,000, depending on documented financial need. Subsidized housing is offered to some Fellows as part of their financial aid package, with rents of approximately $350-450 per month.Coro Center For Civic Leadership, Pittsburgh
The tuition of $3,150 ($3,500 minus a $350 deposit) must be paid by August 15 prior to the beginning of the program in September. Stipends at the Coro Center for Civic Leadership (CCCL) are offered on documented financial need. Pittsburgh Coro Fellows are all eligible for reduced rate student loans to cover both tuition and living expenses for the year. Pittsburgh Fellows are also eligible for reduced rate healthcare costs and free public transportation through Carnegie Mellon University.Coro Center for Civic Leadership, San Francisco
Coro Center for Civic Leadership, San Francisco waives the cost of tuition, excluding the $350 deposit, and will provide stipends for health benefits to all Coro Fellows in San Francisco. Further, those Fellows who demonstrate documented financial need will be eligible for additional support. In the last four years, stipends for Coro Fellows in San Francisco have averaged $9,000 for the nine-month program.Coro Leadership Center, St. Louis
Fellows unable to pay the full tuition $3,150 ($3,500 minus a $350 deposit) prior to the beginning of the program may request a payment plan during the program. Assistance is given in securing TERI and other loans if required. Decisions on financial assistance and tuition scholarships are made after admission to the program based on financial need. Stipends in St. Louis are given in amounts up to $8,000, again depending on documented financial need. Fellows often offset the cost of housing by sharing apartments with other Fellows, and they benefit from a generally lower cost of living in St. Louis.
As the Fellows Program time commitment precludes outside employment, financial assistance is available, based on financial need, to assist with living expenses. Financial assistance through Coro is intended to assist with living and program-related expenses during the program. It is not intended to cover all or perhaps even most of a Fellow’s monthly expenses. The average financial award or stipend varies among centers and may be awarded based upon demonstrated need. Throughout the years, Fellows Program alumni have spoken loudly about the overwhelming value of the program compared to the cost of participation.
Decisions on financial assistance and tuition scholarships are based on the review of financial aid forms requesting assistance, and are made after admission to the program. It is Coro's policy to do everything within reason to assure that once an individual is selected to the Fellows Program, there is adequate support to ensure completion of the program.
Student Loan Deferment
Fellows who receive student loans for their graduate or undergraduate education and who want to defer payment of these loans while enrolled in the Coro program, should obtain the necessary papers from their lending institutions. Deferment is granted by lending institutions on an individually negotiated basis.
In addition to Coro’s stipends, Fellows manage their expenses through a combination of personal savings, fundraising, loans, credit, and third-party scholarships.
University Partnerships
The Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy at the New School University offers automatic admission pon completion of the program, as well as 12 credits (of 42) toward a degree.
The H. John Heinz School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University offers the opportunity for admission into an accelerated Masters degree program and a $6,000 scholarship.
The George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University offers Coro Fellows a minimum base scholarship of $10,000 towards a Master’s in Social Work degree. Also, MSW accepted students can defer acceptance up to two years in order to complete the Coro Fellows Program.
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the 2010-2011 Fellows Program beginning in September 2010 is JANUARY 22, 2010. If you are interested in applying, please go to the program pre-application page.
If you have additional questions about the Fellows Program in Public Affairs or are unsure about which Center to apply, please contact the Center nearest you by email or phone:
Coro Southern California Center
Accepts applications from individuals in Arizona, California (Southern), Nevada, New Mexico & Utah.corosocal@coro.org
213-346-3219
1000 N. Alameda Street, Suite 240
Los Angeles, CA 90012-4295
Coro New York Leadership Center
Accepts applications from individuals in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island & Vermont.recruitNY@coro.org
212-248-2935, x242
42 Broadway, Suite 1827-35
New York, NY 10004
Coro Center for Civic Leadership
Accepts applications from individuals in D.C., Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virginia & West Virginia.recruitPGH@coro.org
412-258-2671
33 Terminal Way, Suite 429-A
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Coro Center for Civic Leadership-San Francisco
Accepts applications from individuals in Alaska, California (Northern), Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington & Wyoming.corosfapply@coro.org
415-986-0521, x102
601 Montgomery Street, Suite 800
San Francisco, CA 94111
Coro Leadership Center-St. Louis
Accepts applications from individuals in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas & Wisconsin.
Fenton, MO 63099
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