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Coro is an American non-partisan, non-profit organization best known for its fellowship program dedicated to teaching skills useful in leadership in public affairs to young adults.

The organization was founded in San Francisco in 1942 by W. Donald Fletcher, an attorney, and Van Duyn Dodge, an investment counselor. Their premise was based on the realization that, unlike law, business or medicine, post graduate training in the area of leadership was non existent, and they wanted to train young veterans in the leadership skills necessary to assure that our democratic system of government could more effectively meet the needs of its citizens.^[1]

Contrary to popular assumption that the name refers to a person or the word "core," the name is contrived and refers only to itself. It was created to represent both discovery and exploration.^[2]

The Fellows Program in Public Affairs is Coro's most well-known program. It is a nine-month, full-time, post-graduate training program that introduces its participants to all aspects of public affairs. The fellows, who represent diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, are selected by a community screening process. As part of the program, they have field assignments, interviews, site visits, and projects to help them appreciate the different perspectives in their communities.

Coro Centers also run other programs, such as the Women in Leadership and Executive Leadership programs. Several programs are geared toward youth, including Exploring Leadership and the Emerging Leadership program.

The Coro Exploring Leadership Program is offered in multiple cities, including Oakland, New York, and San Francisco. Eighteen diverse students from different schools represent each city. Each EL group create community impact projects, logic studies, and much more. The students in the EL program participate in a full-time Summer internship, as well as a part-time Fall component.

In addition to San Francisco, Coro Centers under the Coro umbrella exist in Los Angeles (1957), St. Louis (1972), Kansas City (1975), New York (1980), Pittsburgh (1999). In 2005, Coro partnered with the Cleveland Foundation to establish a new Executive Fellows program in Cleveland. Although each location is independently-run, they are connected by Coro National, a 501(c)(3) governing body. The Coro National Alumni Association is also a freestanding non-profit (incorporated 1990).

Coro has approximately 1000-1200 people who participate in their various programs, and many of them work in non-profit organizations, businesses, and government agencies. Some of the notable alumni who currently hold or have held public office include:^[3]

• Phil Angelides, Former Treasurer, State of California
• Marvin R. Baxter, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of California
• Anna Eshoo, Member, U.S. House of Representatives
• Vic Fazio, Former Member, U.S. House of Representatives
• Dianne Feinstein, Member, U.S. Senate
• Craig Fuller, Chief of Staff, Former Vice-President George Bush
• Billie Greer, Chief of Staff, California Governor's Office
• Tim Kaine, Governor, Virginia
• Robin Kramer, Chief of Staff, Mayor of Los Angeles
• Jerry Lewis, Member, U.S. House of Representatives
• Alex Padilla, California State Senator
• Caprice Young, Former President, Los Angeles Board of Education

1. ^ The Organization-CORO. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
2. ^ Name & Logo-CORO. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
3. ^ The Notable Alumni-CORO. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.

• Official site
• How to Apply
• Coro National Alumni Association can be found at www.coro.org/cnaa

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