We are the Coro Fellows Class of 2007-2008. Coro is a 9-month experiential learning program in public affairs. Coro Fellows learn about the real world in the real world – by actively questioning, interacting with diverse constituents, finding resources, and coming up with innovative solutions to the problems faced by our communities.
As a class we have tasked ourselves with raising enough money for 16 Coro Fellows to go to Washington DC to take part in a valuable learning experience. All the proceeds of our fundraising will benefit the St. Louis Coro Fellows trip to Washington DC. Expenses for this trip include and are not limited to all transportation, lodging, meals, and all other incurred expenses.
While in Washington DC we will dedicate ourselves to living as our word, furthering and strengthening our competencies with Coro methodology, and furthering ourselves and others through inquiry based learning.
Over the course of the next few months we will use this website to publicize our fundraising efforts. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please e-mail us at CoroDC@gmail.com. Enjoy...
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2007-2008 Fellows
Nisha Abraham – Dallas, TX
Government and Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin - 2001
While attending the UT Austin, Nisha worked for a strategic forecasting firm that sparked her interest in international politics. This interest was put aside for a few years as she worked on education and community service initiatives through two Americorps programs and a position teaching mathematics at a nationally recognized Boston public charter school. She recently completed a global affairs certificate from New York University. After Coro, Nisha hopes to attend an international affairs/public policy Master’s program leading to a career in economic development and diplomacy within international organizations and or the Foreign Service.
Samantha Ashley – Huntington Woods, MI
History, University of Wisconsin - Madison - 2004
In college, Samantha was a leader in the Student Labor Action Coalition. In this role she advocated for equal employment for university employees, and was an anti-sweatshop activist. In her junior year she was awarded the Davis Putter Scholarship, for student activists. After graduation Samantha traveled to Dhaka, Bangladesh as an intern for the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center. In Bangladesh, Samantha worked with female garment workers to gain collective bargaining rights. Most recently Samantha has been an organizer for AFSCME Council 31, in Chicago. Following Coro, Samantha plans to get her masters degree in public policy and she hopes to play a role in efforts to reform the American healthcare system.
Wilson Boyd – Tupelo, MS
M.S.Ed./Secondary Education, University of Pennsylvania – 2007
Economics, Mississippi State University – 2004
Wilson recently completed a two-year Teach for America commitment, teaching English and theatre at Olney West High School in Philadelphia. While teaching, he earned a master’s degree in education at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude. While in Teach for America, he held several leadership positions including Corps Year Captain and Corps Ambassador. Before teaching, Wilson was a journalist covering the Mississippi Delta for the Vicksburg Post. He has an economics degree, magna cum laude, from Mississippi State University. At MSU, he was editor of the student newspaper and was elected to the Hall of Fame.
Marihug Cedeño – Teaneck, NJ
Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University – 2007
At Cornell, Marihug explored her interests while growing academically. As service chair for the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society she managed a sneaker drive benefiting athletes from the Kip Keino training facility and the surrounding Kenyan community. As president for Sabor Latino Dance Ensemble, she organized the group’s annual concert, dance workshops and socials. Marihug also took advantage of many opportunities at Cornell by participating in Capital Semester as an intern for the New York State Assembly and studying in Barcelona, Spain. After Coro, Marihug plans to attend law school and hopes to focus in the areas of reproductive rights and public interest law.
Keith Clark - Harwich, MA
Masters of Education, Lesley University – 2007
Political Science, Trinity College – 2005
Keith recently finished his Masters in Education while participating in the Americorps sponsored Citizen Schools National Teaching Fellowship. His action-research project analyzed the role of race and gender in relationships between students and teachers in out-school-time programs. The community organizing efforts and direct service Keith experienced at Citizen Schools has reinvigorated a commitment to education and public service that originated in his earliest days at Trinity College in Hartford, where he graduated as a Pi Gamma Mu Scholar as a Political Science major. From the Boys and Girls Club to Fox Elementary and then through community engagement efforts and tenure as Fraternity President, his passion for civic engagement has led to several worthwhile and challenging leadership experiences. Keith plans to pursue a career in corporate citizenship and civic engagement.
Margot Dankner – Washington D.C.
International and Area Studies, minor in Spanish, Washington University in St. Louis – 2007
Margot, a fellow in the Honors Program in the Humanities, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington University in St. Louis. As a student, her interest in international development and humanitarian law grew during a semester studying abroad in Geneva. Her senior thesis on maize cultivation and agricultural sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa enabled her to further explore international development in a more localized context. In addition to academics, Margot was a tutor for elementary students in East St. Louis, a restaurant critic for the student newspaper, and an active member of Sigma Iota Rho (the international studies honorary) for which she helped plan a conference on the immigrant experience in St. Louis. After Coro, Margot plans to pursue graduate studies in law and public policy.
Joe Fiorelli – Madison, WI
Legal Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison – 2007
While acquiring a degree in Legal Studies and a certificate in Integrated Liberal Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Joe helped in founding the first Latino student organization on campus, volunteered at a non-profit law firm, and was a member of the Chancellor’s Scholarship program. He have spent the past year finishing up his degree and working two part-time jobs, one at the UW-Law School working for a professor on an extensive land and property loss research project, and another at Becker Law Office dealing with Social Security law. In the future, Joe hopes to work with international law in the Caribbean.
Brenda Guynes Glick – Dallas, TX / St. Louis, MO
Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, MSW – 2006
Education, BS, University of Missouri, St. Louis – 1999
Political Science, BA, University of Missouri, St. Louis – 1997
Brenda graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Missouri. She was a reporter, a peer educator, a Student Coordinating Committee Member, Alpha Sigma Lambda Honors Society Member, and was awarded Outstanding Student of 1998-1999. Brenda continued her education at Washington University where she was a Practicum Advisory Representative, a Children, Youth & Family Representative, and an officer for Voices for Children. She has volunteered for many children’s organizations, including as a school social worker and a policy and advocacy intern. She has been active in many community organizations: advocacy training, policy analysis, and has held offices on the Clayton Family Center PTO Board. She has also attended the FOCUS Leadership for Teachers program. Following Coro, she wishes to pursue a career in public policy to help children and families.
Abigail Heinz – St. Louis, Missouri
Communication, Art & Culture, Antioch College – 2002
After graduating from Antioch College with a unique Bachelor of Arts: Communication, Art & Culture, Abby has continued her education by serving and studying people. She moved to New Mexico to facilitate leadership training for low-income people. She later became certified as a Mediator in Massachusetts, and went on to coordinate a school mediation program and volunteer as a mediator in court. Returning home, she served two years with AmeriCorps St. Louis, coordinating resources for disaster affected communities such as New Orleans, Pass Christian, MS, and throughout Missouri. After Coro, she will pursue a graduate degree and work that allows her to advocate for fair resource distribution and non-violent conflict resolution methods.
Joshua Jefferies – Memphis, TN
Religious Studies, Rhodes College – 2007
At Rhodes College, Joshua Jefferies developed keen interests in urban education and non-profit administration. He organized recruitment and planned training workshops for Our Children, Our Future, a district-wide tutoring initiative sponsored by Memphis City Schools. Exploring the nexus between education and health care, Joshua served as marketing intern for Hope House, a non-profit which provides services to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. With his strong leadership and organizational skills Joshua co-established the College’s inaugural Literacy and Education Awareness Week, which highlighted educational disparities in Memphis. After Coro, Joshua plans to pursue graduate study in Education Policy and Public Administration.
Nick Kislinger – Pacific Palisades, CA
Organizational Architecture, Pitzer College – 2007
Nick graduated from Pitzer College in June 2007 where he created Dining with Democracy, a lecture series designed to bring today's leaders to Pitzer to inspire tomorrows. As the student representative on the development committee of Pitzer College's Board of Trustees, the founder of the Prison SMART (Stress Management and Rehabilitation Training) Program at the Afflerbaugh/Page Juvenile Camp in La Verne, CA, and the recipient of the Kallick Community Service Award, Nick was an innovative, enthusiastic, and engaging student leader. As a Coro Fellow he looks forward to building upon his skills with a career in public services as his goal.
Timothy Ly – Charlottesville, VA
Anthropology/Political and Social Thought, University of Virginia – 2007
At UVA, Tim’s academic work focused on globalization, health and poverty. He has volunteered at the Legal Aid Justice Center, taught underserved 8th graders in the Breakthrough Collaborative Program in Atlanta, and mentored teens in the Teens Give Program. He has also worked at his family restaurant, Saigon Café and done research in the Immunology and Rheumatology department at UVA. Recently, he received 2nd place in the Patricia Hollingsworth Essays in Ethics Competition and coauthored another paper published in the Journal of Immunology. In the future, he intends to wander the world and eventually attend law and/or public policy school.
Senayt Rahwa – Denver, CO
Finance and International Business, Washington University in St. Louis – 2007
Senayt Rahwa, John Ervin Scholar, is a 2007 graduate from Washington University in St. Louis with majors in Finance and International Business. As a Mellon Mays Fellow, her research on racial and ethnic identity and contemporary African immigration was published in the spring of 2007. Additionally, Senayt was also committed to student life through her positions as a Residential Advisor and Residential Life Intern, the Promotions Manager for an alternative night life café, and a steering committee member for the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraiser, Relay for Life. After Coro, Senayt will attend Georgetown University to study International Law.
Ross Rocketto – Houston, TX
Political Science and Urban Studies, Trinity University – 2007
At Trinity, Ross worked five political campaigns in various capacities through his four years in San Antonio. As Deputy Field Director for a San Antonio mayoral election he learned the importance of shared vision in building a successful team. While still in school Ross also served the San Antonio community as Outreach Director for a State Representative; hosting and facilitating town-hall style events and attending neighborhood association meetings. Ross also has a keen interest in Post-Katrina New Orleans. His senior thesis detailed and attempted to explain the rising crime rates the city has recently experienced. After school Ross moved to Iowa to work for a Presidential campaign. In the future Ross plans to attend law school and run for elected office.
Joshua Smith – St. Louis, MO
Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis – 2005
Finishing his collegiate studies at Washington University in 2004, Josh joined AmeriCorps to tutor underperforming students at an elementary school in the city of St. Louis. Josh then served two years with the AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team responding to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, ice storms, and other severe weather. Often tapped as the organization’s governmental liaison, he advised local officials on how to make best use of volunteers and donated resources in the disaster recovery process. He plans to study law and to pursue a career in politics.
Meredith Turk – Rocky River, OH
Cultural Anthropology, Northwestern University – 2007
Meredith completed a degree in cultural anthropology at Northwestern University. Internationally, Meredith interned at a tsunami relief organization in Thailand, studied the impacts of tourism development in Ghana, and traveled extensively. For her senior thesis, Meredith received a grant to study “disaster tourism” in post-Katrina New Orleans, while also serving in volunteer relief kitchen. In Chicago, she expanded her passion for activism at an interfaith documentary company, a student-run public resource office, and by rallying for change in human rights and environmental issues. Meredith will continue to fuse her anthropological sensitivity with her drive for activism and sustainable change.
The Coro Fellows Class of 2007-2008 is going to Washington DC.
Donate Online
- CORO St. Louis DC Fundraising
- Please direct all online donations to the following website. https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.phpaid=1794
Meet the Current Fellows
2007-2008 Fellows
Nisha Abraham – Dallas, TX
Government and Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin - 2001
While attending the UT Austin, Nisha worked for a strategic forecasting firm that sparked her interest in international politics. This interest was put aside for a few years as she worked on education and community service initiatives through two Americorps programs and a position teaching mathematics at a nationally recognized Boston public charter school. She recently completed a global affairs certificate from New York University. After Coro, Nisha hopes to attend an international affairs/public policy Master’s program leading to a career in economic development and diplomacy within international organizations and or the Foreign Service.
Samantha Ashley – Huntington Woods, MI
History, University of Wisconsin - Madison - 2004
In college, Samantha was a leader in the Student Labor Action Coalition. In this role she advocated for equal employment for university employees, and was an anti-sweatshop activist. In her junior year she was awarded the Davis Putter Scholarship, for student activists. After graduation Samantha traveled to Dhaka, Bangladesh as an intern for the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center. In Bangladesh, Samantha worked with female garment workers to gain collective bargaining rights. Most recently Samantha has been an organizer for AFSCME Council 31, in Chicago. Following Coro, Samantha plans to get her masters degree in public policy and she hopes to play a role in efforts to reform the American healthcare system.
Wilson Boyd – Tupelo, MS
M.S.Ed./Secondary Education, University of Pennsylvania – 2007
Economics, Mississippi State University – 2004
Wilson recently completed a two-year Teach for America commitment, teaching English and theatre at Olney West High School in Philadelphia. While teaching, he earned a master’s degree in education at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude. While in Teach for America, he held several leadership positions including Corps Year Captain and Corps Ambassador. Before teaching, Wilson was a journalist covering the Mississippi Delta for the Vicksburg Post. He has an economics degree, magna cum laude, from Mississippi State University. At MSU, he was editor of the student newspaper and was elected to the Hall of Fame.
Marihug Cedeño – Teaneck, NJ
Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University – 2007
At Cornell, Marihug explored her interests while growing academically. As service chair for the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society she managed a sneaker drive benefiting athletes from the Kip Keino training facility and the surrounding Kenyan community. As president for Sabor Latino Dance Ensemble, she organized the group’s annual concert, dance workshops and socials. Marihug also took advantage of many opportunities at Cornell by participating in Capital Semester as an intern for the New York State Assembly and studying in Barcelona, Spain. After Coro, Marihug plans to attend law school and hopes to focus in the areas of reproductive rights and public interest law.
Keith Clark - Harwich, MA
Masters of Education, Lesley University – 2007
Political Science, Trinity College – 2005
Keith recently finished his Masters in Education while participating in the Americorps sponsored Citizen Schools National Teaching Fellowship. His action-research project analyzed the role of race and gender in relationships between students and teachers in out-school-time programs. The community organizing efforts and direct service Keith experienced at Citizen Schools has reinvigorated a commitment to education and public service that originated in his earliest days at Trinity College in Hartford, where he graduated as a Pi Gamma Mu Scholar as a Political Science major. From the Boys and Girls Club to Fox Elementary and then through community engagement efforts and tenure as Fraternity President, his passion for civic engagement has led to several worthwhile and challenging leadership experiences. Keith plans to pursue a career in corporate citizenship and civic engagement.
Margot Dankner – Washington D.C.
International and Area Studies, minor in Spanish, Washington University in St. Louis – 2007
Margot, a fellow in the Honors Program in the Humanities, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington University in St. Louis. As a student, her interest in international development and humanitarian law grew during a semester studying abroad in Geneva. Her senior thesis on maize cultivation and agricultural sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa enabled her to further explore international development in a more localized context. In addition to academics, Margot was a tutor for elementary students in East St. Louis, a restaurant critic for the student newspaper, and an active member of Sigma Iota Rho (the international studies honorary) for which she helped plan a conference on the immigrant experience in St. Louis. After Coro, Margot plans to pursue graduate studies in law and public policy.
Joe Fiorelli – Madison, WI
Legal Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison – 2007
While acquiring a degree in Legal Studies and a certificate in Integrated Liberal Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Joe helped in founding the first Latino student organization on campus, volunteered at a non-profit law firm, and was a member of the Chancellor’s Scholarship program. He have spent the past year finishing up his degree and working two part-time jobs, one at the UW-Law School working for a professor on an extensive land and property loss research project, and another at Becker Law Office dealing with Social Security law. In the future, Joe hopes to work with international law in the Caribbean.
Brenda Guynes Glick – Dallas, TX / St. Louis, MO
Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, MSW – 2006
Education, BS, University of Missouri, St. Louis – 1999
Political Science, BA, University of Missouri, St. Louis – 1997
Brenda graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Missouri. She was a reporter, a peer educator, a Student Coordinating Committee Member, Alpha Sigma Lambda Honors Society Member, and was awarded Outstanding Student of 1998-1999. Brenda continued her education at Washington University where she was a Practicum Advisory Representative, a Children, Youth & Family Representative, and an officer for Voices for Children. She has volunteered for many children’s organizations, including as a school social worker and a policy and advocacy intern. She has been active in many community organizations: advocacy training, policy analysis, and has held offices on the Clayton Family Center PTO Board. She has also attended the FOCUS Leadership for Teachers program. Following Coro, she wishes to pursue a career in public policy to help children and families.
Abigail Heinz – St. Louis, Missouri
Communication, Art & Culture, Antioch College – 2002
After graduating from Antioch College with a unique Bachelor of Arts: Communication, Art & Culture, Abby has continued her education by serving and studying people. She moved to New Mexico to facilitate leadership training for low-income people. She later became certified as a Mediator in Massachusetts, and went on to coordinate a school mediation program and volunteer as a mediator in court. Returning home, she served two years with AmeriCorps St. Louis, coordinating resources for disaster affected communities such as New Orleans, Pass Christian, MS, and throughout Missouri. After Coro, she will pursue a graduate degree and work that allows her to advocate for fair resource distribution and non-violent conflict resolution methods.
Joshua Jefferies – Memphis, TN
Religious Studies, Rhodes College – 2007
At Rhodes College, Joshua Jefferies developed keen interests in urban education and non-profit administration. He organized recruitment and planned training workshops for Our Children, Our Future, a district-wide tutoring initiative sponsored by Memphis City Schools. Exploring the nexus between education and health care, Joshua served as marketing intern for Hope House, a non-profit which provides services to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. With his strong leadership and organizational skills Joshua co-established the College’s inaugural Literacy and Education Awareness Week, which highlighted educational disparities in Memphis. After Coro, Joshua plans to pursue graduate study in Education Policy and Public Administration.
Nick Kislinger – Pacific Palisades, CA
Organizational Architecture, Pitzer College – 2007
Nick graduated from Pitzer College in June 2007 where he created Dining with Democracy, a lecture series designed to bring today's leaders to Pitzer to inspire tomorrows. As the student representative on the development committee of Pitzer College's Board of Trustees, the founder of the Prison SMART (Stress Management and Rehabilitation Training) Program at the Afflerbaugh/Page Juvenile Camp in La Verne, CA, and the recipient of the Kallick Community Service Award, Nick was an innovative, enthusiastic, and engaging student leader. As a Coro Fellow he looks forward to building upon his skills with a career in public services as his goal.
Timothy Ly – Charlottesville, VA
Anthropology/Political and Social Thought, University of Virginia – 2007
At UVA, Tim’s academic work focused on globalization, health and poverty. He has volunteered at the Legal Aid Justice Center, taught underserved 8th graders in the Breakthrough Collaborative Program in Atlanta, and mentored teens in the Teens Give Program. He has also worked at his family restaurant, Saigon Café and done research in the Immunology and Rheumatology department at UVA. Recently, he received 2nd place in the Patricia Hollingsworth Essays in Ethics Competition and coauthored another paper published in the Journal of Immunology. In the future, he intends to wander the world and eventually attend law and/or public policy school.
Senayt Rahwa – Denver, CO
Finance and International Business, Washington University in St. Louis – 2007
Senayt Rahwa, John Ervin Scholar, is a 2007 graduate from Washington University in St. Louis with majors in Finance and International Business. As a Mellon Mays Fellow, her research on racial and ethnic identity and contemporary African immigration was published in the spring of 2007. Additionally, Senayt was also committed to student life through her positions as a Residential Advisor and Residential Life Intern, the Promotions Manager for an alternative night life café, and a steering committee member for the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraiser, Relay for Life. After Coro, Senayt will attend Georgetown University to study International Law.
Ross Rocketto – Houston, TX
Political Science and Urban Studies, Trinity University – 2007
At Trinity, Ross worked five political campaigns in various capacities through his four years in San Antonio. As Deputy Field Director for a San Antonio mayoral election he learned the importance of shared vision in building a successful team. While still in school Ross also served the San Antonio community as Outreach Director for a State Representative; hosting and facilitating town-hall style events and attending neighborhood association meetings. Ross also has a keen interest in Post-Katrina New Orleans. His senior thesis detailed and attempted to explain the rising crime rates the city has recently experienced. After school Ross moved to Iowa to work for a Presidential campaign. In the future Ross plans to attend law school and run for elected office.
Joshua Smith – St. Louis, MO
Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis – 2005
Finishing his collegiate studies at Washington University in 2004, Josh joined AmeriCorps to tutor underperforming students at an elementary school in the city of St. Louis. Josh then served two years with the AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team responding to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, ice storms, and other severe weather. Often tapped as the organization’s governmental liaison, he advised local officials on how to make best use of volunteers and donated resources in the disaster recovery process. He plans to study law and to pursue a career in politics.
Meredith Turk – Rocky River, OH
Cultural Anthropology, Northwestern University – 2007
Meredith completed a degree in cultural anthropology at Northwestern University. Internationally, Meredith interned at a tsunami relief organization in Thailand, studied the impacts of tourism development in Ghana, and traveled extensively. For her senior thesis, Meredith received a grant to study “disaster tourism” in post-Katrina New Orleans, while also serving in volunteer relief kitchen. In Chicago, she expanded her passion for activism at an interfaith documentary company, a student-run public resource office, and by rallying for change in human rights and environmental issues. Meredith will continue to fuse her anthropological sensitivity with her drive for activism and sustainable change.