It is important for applicants to know that the Fellows Program is intense, requiring focus, time and energy. Realization of the value of the learning experiences builds over the course of the program. Alumni report receiving significant and often, life changing benefit from their fellowship.

Fellows Programs offered in all centers share a common structure and core components. Each center also offers unique added value. The St. Louis Fellows Program has a well articulated General Semantics framework which has demonstrated significant success as evidenced by the success of the fellows in placements and alumni in their professional and academic performance.

Program Components

Central to all Coro programs are a set of experiences and the transfer of an intellectual framework.

Included in experiential learning are:

• Interviews
• Placements
• Focus weeks
• Seminars

Interviews

Fellows conduct substantive interviews with prominent professional leaders at the local, state and national level. For example, Fellows have interviewed St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay; St Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley; and Gary Dollar, CEO of the United Way of St. Louis at the local level; Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder; and Hugh McVey, President of the Missouri AFL-CIO at the state level; Alfonso Jackson, (then) Secretary of HUD; David Paulison, Director of FEMA; and Grover Norquist, Executive Director of Americans for Tax Reform at the national level. 

Placements

Each St. Louis Fellow completes significant projects for different organizations in the government, business, organized labor, electoral politics and nonprofit sectors. Through these field placements, Fellows learn how different organizations function. Fellows also discover how the different sectors interact to build a community.

Focus weeks

Fellows participate in a series of focus weeks: week-long explorations of specific issues or topics. These may include: state government, agriculture, the media and national affairs.

Seminars

Seminars provide the opportunity to integrate the knowledge gained in the sector placements and interviews. During debriefing sessions, Fellows learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives. Coro Fellows enjoy an unparalleled opportunity to experience vastly different fields and work environments. Sector assignments and interviews along with individual and group projects prepare Coro Fellows to learn how to perform successfully as individuals and as a team.  

Included in the intellectual framework are:

• General Semantics
• John Dewey
• Inquiry
• Coro Tools

General Semantics

General Semantics is a scientific discipline that basically defines how human beings function. While defined decades ago by an MIT engineer, Alfred Korzyski, it is seen by many to be the cutting edge model of human functioning that succinctly fits with all the other sciences that experts report are in the process of merging. Observing and interpreting the world through the lens of General Semantics yields innovative, new paradigms.  Active exploration and experimentation with this new thinking leads to improved human behavior and creative problem solving.

John Dewey

Coro’s concern for the quality of civic leadership in American democracy puts into practice a number of the core tenets of democratic self-governance advocated by the philosopher John Dewey. Dewey’s concepts about the public, the state, the government, and the political democracy form a philosophic foundation for Coro’s approach to preparing citizens for civic leadership.

Inquiry

The capacity to formulate and ask questions penetrates the unknown. Skillful investigation of issues is the prerequisite for effective solutions. Being able to ask questions as a learner is the basis for growth and development. Being able to think in questions enables tapping into the nature of the innovator and entrepreneur.

Coro Tools

Coro has a rich body of effective tools dealing with such competencies as critical thinking, analyzing organizations and issues, communication and accomplishing significant projects. Fellows are able to translate their ideas into effective action.

Program Outcomes

Program participants experience significant personal and professional growth and development.

Graduates are well prepared for and committed to:

• Be actively involved in their community from any professional position they might hold
• Know how to effectively involve all sectors of the community to address issues
• Lead by spearheading community initiatives or effectively supporting others who are in the leadership role
• Ultimately improving governance and democracy

Fellows Alumni »

Financial Aid

Based upon demonstrated financial need and is dispersed in the form of monthly stipends. There is also a Gudipati Scholarship available to Fellows who may need additional assistance.

About St. Louis

Don Fletcher, cofounder of Coro, and many St. Louis alumni have remarked on how St. Louis is a great location to do the Fellows program. It is large and complex enough to offer an in-depth learning environment and yet small enough to be able to observe entire community systems. Key leaders make themselves accessible to the Fellows.

The St. Louis Advantage »

For More Information:

Coro Leadership Center – St. Louis

1400 S. Highway Drive

Fenton, MO 63099

Phone: 636.827.9800 (direct)

Fax: 636.827.9807

Email: info@coro-stl.org