For Coro Alumni
No one knows the impact of Coro better than its alumni.
For 50 years, the nonpartisan Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs has equipped emerging civic leaders in St. Louis to better understand how decisions are made, how complex policies are shaped, and how to influence meaningful change. Coro Fellows are selected from a highly competitive national applicant pool. Throughout the program, Fellows have rich interactions with public, private, and nonprofit decision-makers.
Fellows approach the program with curiosity and an interest in understanding the building blocks of a strong community. Organizations and civic leaders from across industry are invited to support Coro by…
Shaping the program as a member of the Advisory Board
Engaging with the current class of Fellows
Supporting participant recruitment
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Field placements are a cornerstone of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. Each Coro Fellow has five placements throughout the program, which expose them to sectors including business, government, and nonprofit. Each Fellow also participates in a Group Project and designs their own Individual Project (their final placement). Through their work at placements and in seminars, Fellows learn how different organizations work and fit into the political, social, and economic fabric of the St. Louis region.
While on assignment Coro Fellows:
Complete a specific project (or projects) for the host organization
Learn about the culture, structure, and function(s) of a particular organization
Gain an understanding of the communication and decision-making processes within the organization
Observe how the agency interacts with and relates to the community as a whole
Provide a unique perspective on the organization’s efforts and impact
Request a Fellow by filling out this form or get in touch with the Coro team at coro@umsl.edu to learn more.
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Each year Fellows complete up to five focus weeks about regionally significant topics through a range of pre-determined and self-guided learning experiences in community. Topics vary from year-to-year and have included agriculture, media, tech, and health care. Each year, program staff evaluates the civic landscape to determine which topics will offer impactful opportunities for Fellows. Bring Fellows to your organization for a day to…
Tour your facilities
Meet key leaders at your organization
Learn about the work you do
Get started by filling out this form or get in touch with the Coro team at coro@umsl.edu to learn more.
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Fellows hone effective inquiry skills through interviews with local leaders (and Alumni across the country) like you. One hour interviews are conducted at your workplace, in person at Delmar DivINe, or virtually over Zoom. Get in touch with the Coro team by filling out this form or email them at coro@umsl.edu to get your interview scheduled!
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Who do you know who might benefit from hosting a Coro placement or has a key leadership role in the region? Connect the Coro team with your network to support recruitment of Placement hosts, Focus Week activities participants, and interviewees. Ask them to get involved by filling out the interest form or emailing the Coro team at coro@umsl.edu!
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Stipends are a key way to enable Fellows to focus on and grow through their Coro experience. Given the demands of placements, focus weeks, and seminars, Fellows often rely completely on their stipends to fund living expenses. All placement hosts generously contribute to the Fellow experience and the Coro community raises the remaining funds required to support livable stipends, robust programming, and key staffing to allow more prospective Fellows to say "Yes!" to an offer to join the next cohort
An anonymous donor has gifted $10,000 to jumpstart a new campaign to support Fellow stipends – add your gift today!
Join the Advisory Board
Impact current and future Coro Fellows’ experience by joining the Advisory Board. Leverage your unique position as a Coro Alum to connect Fellows with your professional networks, support program staff, and guide the Coro Fellows Program’s future in St. Louis. Interested in joining? Get in touch with the Coro team by emailing coro@umsl.edu to learn more.
Advisory Board members attend quarterly convenings to support program development, recruiting Fellows, and securing placements.
How you can support Fellow recruitment
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Prospective applicants for Coro are often highly motivated individuals who have many options they could choose to pursue following graduation. Help us show them how Coro is the right foundation on which to build their careers and choices. Fill out this form to share more about the value of your Coro experience.
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Do you remember your Selection Day? That butterfly feeling in your stomach as you walked in the door or entered the virtual waiting room to begin your first real experience with Coro? How much felt at stake? That feeling is hard to forget! When future Selection Days roll around (usually at the end of Q1) the Coro at UMSL team will rely on your support to create an experience for our candidates that is just as impactful as the one you had.
There are two essential roles for Coro Alumni and community members. Read on for more details or RSVP for 2025 Selection Day!
Application Reviewer
Timeline: Mid-late January (applications close January 12th, 2025)
Task: Review and score at least 3 applications (though you’re welcome to take on more!)
Time Commitment: Each application may take 30-60 minutes to review and score.
Selection Day Judge
Timeline:
Judges will be confirmed by late February
Training materials will be sent in early March
2025 Virtual Selection Day is March 22, 8:30AM-4:00PM CST (The Coro at UMSL team has heard enthusiasm for in-person Selection Day and are considering it for 2026.)
Task(s):
Review all judge training materials to prepare effectively for your essential role
Alongside your co-judges, observe and score candidates on their performance in a variety of activities and tasks
Time Commitment: an estimated 8-9 hours total, inclusive of preparation time and participation on Selection Day.
Selection Day is an exciting, interactive, and challenging day. Judges interact with and evaluate candidates, playing a crucial role in identifying the future leaders of our democracy. RSVP to reserve your spot for 2025 selection Day!
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Share the Coro Fellows Program with administrators and students at your alma mater! Connect with career services offices, the department you graduated from (and others!), relevant centers and institutes, and other people who might be connected with students who would benefit from Coro. Tell them about your experience or use this template email and include this one-pager so they know where to find more information.
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The Coro at UMSL team hosts alumni panels for prospective applicants to learn more about the program. Share your insights on “a day in the life” of a Coro Fellow and reflect on how Coro has shaped your professional path. Fill out this form to get started!
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Alumni are key ambassadors for the Coro Fellows Program. Support recruitment by joining the Coro at UMSL team in attending career and internship fairs, speaking at colleges, and more. Recruitment season primarily takes place October-mid November each year, with applications due in early-mid January. Fill out this form to get started!
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Stipends are a key way to enable Fellows to focus on and grow through their Coro experience. Given the demands of placements, focus weeks, and seminars, Fellows often rely completely on their stipends to fund living expenses. Supporting livable stipends, key staffing, and robust programming will allow more prospective Fellows to say “Yes!” to their offer to join the next cohort.
An anonymous donor has gifted $10,000 to jumpstart a new campaign to support Fellow stipends – add your gift today!
Questions?
Get in touch with the Coro at UMSL team.
Brochure
Download the one-pager overview of the Coro Fellows Program at UMSL.
Nominate
Nominate someone you think would be a great fit for the Fellows Program in Public Affairs.