Coro Foundation's Fellows Program in Public Affairs, recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the top 10 internships in the country, recently invited Celia C. Ayala, Ph.D., CEO, to talk about the world of non-profit organizations as seen through the lens of LAUP.

As a leader of one of Southern California's most effective non-profits, Dr. Ayala was recently selected to speak to this year's Fellowship class on Dec. 10 about the role such organizations play in improving education and the critical importance of preschool in the overall education equation.

Given that LAUP is seeking increased advocacy for the cause of preschool education, Dr. Ayala was pleased that her remarks to this group of young, up and coming leaders were well-received. In addition to being captivated by compelling research in support of quality preschool, as well as LAUP's achievements over the past five years, the students were especially interested in fundraising strategies.

The hour-long seminar ended with the students asking Dr. Ayala how they can help the preschool movement. Dr. Ayala asked them to read "The Heckman Equation," an economic case for investing in early childhood development by Professor James Heckman, Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics. "If you understand Heckman's equation (invest + develop + sustain = gain), you will advocate for preschool locally, at the state level and nationally," Dr. Ayala said.

Coro graduates have served in every Presidential administration since President Kennedy. Notable alumni include California U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein; former film critic Gene Siskel; and John E. Kobara, Executive Vice President and COO of the California Community Foundation.