This past September the 7th, I had the great pleasure to meet the wonderful folks that make up the St. Louis contingent of the CORO fellowship of 2022-23. If you are not familiar with the CORO programs maybe this excerpt from Wikipedia will help.
The Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, the organization’s premier fellowship, is a full-time, nine-month, graduate-level experiential leadership training program that prepares diverse, talented and committed individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public affairs arena. Unconventional by traditional academic standards, the Fellows Program is rigorous and demanding, aiming toward personal and professional growth. The Fellows Program is offered in Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and St. Louis. Coro introduces program participants to all aspects of the public affairs arena, preparing them to translate their ideals into action for improving their own communities and beyond. The fellowship comprises field placements, group interviews, seminars, focus weeks, and individual and group projects.
Sixty Fellows are chosen nationally each year through a highly competitive selection process, including a day-long assessment at each center’s city. The Fellows represent a broad range of academic, work, cultural, racial and economic backgrounds, ages and interests. What they share is an unwavering commitment to civic engagement. Recent participants have ranged from 21 to 53 years of age.
I was just one of 60 Maplewoodites that were interviewed by the fellows. (The title of this article is a joke. Even the femmes are called fellows.) They wanted to know quite a lot about the history of our community. I told them what I’ve been able to piece together after 20 years of reassembling the puzzle as part of my self-appointed job of historian of our city. I am very used to being asked questions about the history of Maplewood but they asked a question I had never considered. What is the logic of Maplewood?
The question stumped me. I believe I gave them a good bit of the why of Maplewood and the how of Maplewood but the logic? I’m still not sure where they were going with that one. I guess that’s why they’re grad students and I’m not.
I had a grand time with this year’s group of St. Louis CORO fellows. I am grateful to them for inviting me. They most likely will scatter when their fellowship has ended but wherever they land will benefit tremendously from their friendliness, their intellect and passion.
Doug Houser September 23, 2022
So maybe the “logic” of Maplewood is how all the diverse parts of the city fit together to create a sum greater than the parts? But how could that be explained? Hmm.
I loved the photo. What a great group of eleven civically engaged individuals.
Hammerhead, Your definition is as good as any I’ve heard. Thanks for your participation!
Two of them came to church at United Methodist that Sunday. They spent a great amount of time in conversation with several folks about all sorts of Maplewood community involvement. They were eager, energetic, and genuinely interested.
Good job, Doug !!!!
That’s a great looking bunch of folks except for the white haired guy in the middle. Kidding !
Never heard of the group or what they were about. Sounds like a neat honor to have.
So as you ponder it “what is the logic of Maplewood?” Sounds like making a mission statement or top ten list of things about Maplewood. Maybe the word logic is throwing me but it has me stumped as to what I would answer. Maybe a few folks would chime in.