Chief of Staff, VP - Institutional Planning and Strategic Alliances

                                                                       

Maria is the past president of the Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club  2016-2017 

 

 

 

During her 30-year career at Harper College, Maria H. Coons has  served in many capacities. She was appointed to her current role in  2016, to lead workforce and economic development initiatives, and  oversee strategic partnerships in high-growth areas, support small  business development and adult learning strategies. Since then,  she's procured more than $25 million in workforce grants for Harper,  created a fast-track program that allows part-time adult students to complete a degree in two years, led the creation of a 10-year campus master plan to prioritize $200 million in capital improvements, and spearheaded a long list of special projects. As a member of the  executive council and president's cabinet, she's formulated and implemented policies and operational strategies to ensure that the school's priorities are met. Away from work, she's a past president of the Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club, a member of the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce and the Chicago Metra Citizen's Advisory Board. She serves on the board of the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers and is a school ambassador for Jane Addams Elementary School in Palatine.

 

 

 

 

Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club and Club Rotario Guatemala Sur
 

 

Posted by Narayan Murarka, Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club, D-6440 Jorge Aufranc, Francisco Viau, Club Rotario Guatemala Sur, D-4250 on Feb 03, 2018

 

Great news!!!  The Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club has been awarded a new type of Rotary Foundation competitive challenge grant.  The Rotary Foundation has awarded $552,500 to the team of Club Rotario Guatemala Sur, Rotary Club of Antigua and Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club for a grant addressing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH* in Schools (WinS). 
*WASH - Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

 

The competition was held between all Rotary clubs within five countries: Belize, Guatemala, India, Kenya and Honduras in two phases.  During phase I, 46 clubs applied and 13 of them moved to the next phase.   In phase II, 13 clubs applied, and four clubs were awarded grants.  We are privileged to be one of the four winners. 

The grant integrates two Areas of Focus:  Water and Sanitation, Basic Education and Literacy.  Rotary International has issued a global challenge to improve education quality and access – particularly for girls – by working with communities to provide improved WASH services, teacher training, and curriculum enhancement.  It is important to leverage off from water and sanitation related efforts and connect them with health, hygiene and education.  Further details are available at this link:

 

                         

 

 

 Specific goals are:

 

 

 

 

 

The dollar value of the award, $552,500, is the largest for a grant ever for our District 6440, and possibly for Zones 28 and 29.

 

The award of this grant now presents an opportunity to begin putting all our plans into action to help children, with emphasis on improving education for girls.  In addition to active engagement by the host and international Rotary clubs, we have created alliances with municipal governments, school authorities and local community of the Sacatepéquez Department in Guatemala.  We have a big challenge in front of us and we are up to it. Working together as a team, we will achieve our project goals.