Benjamin Adlin, Occidental College, Bachelor of Arts Philosophy

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Ben Adlin served in high school as a member of student government as well as a peer mediator and mediation instructor. Afterward he spent his summers as a junior counselor at a leadership camp for student representatives. Ben graduated from Occidental College with a B.A. in Philosophy in 2008. While enrolled, he worked as a resident advisor, senior layout editor of the campus newspaper, and advocate of campaign finance reform. Ben also studied overseas, exploring social issues and policy during a semester in the Netherlands. After Coro, he plans to apply his interest in political and social theory to the challenges facing contemporary communities.

Simone Collins, Wesleyan University, Bachelor of Arts Sociology

A native New Yorker, Simone Collins focused her efforts in college on working with the Black community, addressing their cultural concerns through her production of two independent media projects and her involvement with Ujamaa, the Black student union. She also took an interest in education and youth mentorship. Since graduation, Simone has worked at the national nonprofit A Better Chance – an organization that provides expanded educational opportunities to academically talented students of color. This has provided the basis for her strong interest in nonprofit work and after Coro, Simone hopes to pursue a degree in non-profit management and wants to continue working with the Black community.

Arthur Jackson, University of California, Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts American Studies

Arthur Lee Jackson III was born and raised in Oakland, California. He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where he studied American Studies with a focus in Social Justice and Urban Policy. Arthur was a coordinator for the Berkeley “Scholars to CAL” afterschool program and started his own non-profit called “Saving Our Inner City Youth”. After completing Coro, he plans on entering a dual program to earn a Jurist Doctorate and a Masters in Public Administration.

Carlos A. Mejia, Dartmouth College, Bachelor of Arts Government

Originally from Anaheim, CA, Carlos graduated from Dartmouth College in 2008. While there, he wrote an award-winning honors thesis on legal challenges to ballot initiatives, assembling the first comprehensive data set on the subject. His college activities included serving as Managing Editor of the Dartmouth Free Press, a campus newsmagazine, and four years on the Mock Trial Team. He is active with the Chicano/Latino Youth Leadership Project, an organization that promotes leadership and academic opportunities for Latino high school students. He hopes to pursue a law degree and continue his research on initiatives.

Jeanalee K. Obergfell, University of California, Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts Political Science/Chicano Studies

Jeanalee Obergfell was born and raised in Imperial Valley, California. She recently graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles. While there, Jeanalee dedicated herself to serving the campus, and community at large through her involvement with the UC Student Association, Latin American Student Association and more recently the Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California. She advocated for and worked towards creating a more equitable education system. Jeanalee hopes to use the tools she gains at Coro, to help develop policies that will let the social capital of marginalized communities thrive.

Gabriel S. Rose, University of California, Los Angeles, Bachelor of Art Political Science/Communication Studies

Gabe spent his childhood growing up in New Haven, CT and the East Bay in Northern California. He was raised with a strong sense of the importance of politics and public service, with memories of political rallies beginning at the tender age of 5. He recently graduated UCLA, where he continued his passion for public service as student body president his senior year. His time at UCLA was also marked by work on causes very important to him, including work on HIV/AIDS prevention, marriage equality, and progressive politics in general. In his spare time, he is a an avid enthusiast of all things sports and ice cream.

 Jacqueline Scahill, Ithaca College, Bachelor of Arts Biology/Environmental Studies

Jacqueline Scahill conducted four years of undergraduate research in environmental toxicology at Ithaca College in New York, earning a BA in biology. She moved to Los Angeles, California, for the AAAS Mass Media Science Fellowship for which she was placed at Southern California Public Radio. She continued working as a part-time producer on All Things Considered and joined Caltech as a science writer in media relations. Jacqueline plans to lead the public relations department at a scientific university or company, striving to inspire peoples’ interest in all areas of science. When she is not working, she is swing dancing, or choreographing and performing with LA Unbound Dance Company.

 Yvette Shirinian, University of California, Irvine, Bachelor of Arts Political Science

Yvette Shirinian graduated with honors from the University of California, Irvine with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Global Peace and Conflict Resolution. During her college years, Yvette founded the Darfur Action Committee, and advocated for divesting UC funds from Sudan and raising money to aid Darfurian refugees.   She wrote a senior thesis titled “Fair Trade: A Cup of ‘Joe’ with a taste of Justice”. She spent the summer traveling through South East Asia and volunteered in a Thai refugee camp. She plans to continue traveling and pursue a master’s in public policy.

Mark Stefanos, University of California, Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts Political Science

While at UCLA Mark conducted research in political communication, was a board member of Bruin Republicans, and the editor in chief and publisher of The Bruin Standard - a journal of politics and culture. He has worked in a Catholic Church and as an account specialist for a bank. His political involvements include being an intern with Meridian Pacific, a Republican political consulting firm, and serving as an Outreach Director for the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign. Mark hopes to attend business school and continue his hobby of writing.

Elliot White, San Diego State University, Bachelor of Arts Political Science

While at San Diego State, Elliot White participated in the Sacramento Semester Government and Political Development Program. The Sacramento Semester solidified his love for state politics and government. After graduation he successfully managed two separate Placer County Supervisor races for Supervisor Robert Weygandt’s re-election campaign, and Roseville California Mayor Rocky Rockholm to first term as County Supervisor. At the end of the 2006 election cycle, Elliot transitioned from campaigns and politics, to public policy and government as a Legislative Aide at The Flanigan Law Firm, one of the top lobbying firms in the state of California.

Annette Wong, Yale University, Bachelor of Arts History/International Studies

Born in Los Angeles, Annette’s K-12 schooling took place in Beijing and Hong Kong. At Yale, Annette cultivated her interest in Asian-American advocacy, organizing mentorship programs for Chinese-American youth and writing with Jook Songs, Yale’s Asian-American writing/performance group. Her senior thesis, “The Secret War on Laos” won the Henry Hart Rice Prize for most outstanding essay in International Studies. Post-graduation, Annette worked as a Legal Assistant for Shearman & Sterling New York, and fostered her love for writing. She studied poetry this summer with Palestinian-American writer Suheir Hammad. Annette hopes to further pursue immigrant and minority advocacy, and write.

Rani Woods, Boston University, Bachelor of Arts Political Science

Rani Woods was born in India. She became an Angelino at three months of age. At 18, she went East and began her political journey of increasing awareness and engagement. She organized the first statewide non-partisan political activism conference for and run by college students in MA and was President of her College Democrats chapter. In 2007, she was a research assistant in the British House of Commons under the Foreign Secretary. Rani plans to travel widely prior to establishing a political career in Los Angeles.