posse brings a new perspective

When Hamilton students say the word “posse,” they are typically referring to a group of friends. However, when Hamilton’s Office of Admission and Financial Aid is most likely referring to an entirely different group of people. From an admissions perspective, “Posse” is not a group of friends, but rather a group of 10 high school seniors that have been admitted to Hamilton through a competitive selection process.

The Posse Foundation is a national non-profit organization that recruits 10 students from inner-city public high schools across the United States based on their ability to lead, ambition to succeed, and willingness to work with people from different backgrounds. For nearly two decades, the Posse Foundation has placed nearly 1,600 students in some of America’s best colleges and universities. Many of these students have gone on to win over $140 million in leadership scholarships.

The Posse Scholarship presents Posse students and college campuses with a win-win situation: it offers students the chance to earn a bachelor’s degree at top U.S. colleges and universities and gives colleges the opportunity to ensure that diversity is promoted on their campuses. Perhaps most importantly, however, the scholarship guarantees the success of students from non-traditional backgrounds during college and after graduation. According to the Posse Foundation website, 90% of Posse students graduate from college, a number which tops that of the national average. Posse graduates are also expected to “affect our workforce and…country at large” in a positive way.

Posse Scholar Anna George ’08 explained that a common misconception of the Posse Scholarship is that it qualifies as more than simply a merit-based scholarship. “It is not a minority scholarship, nor is it [one] based on financial aid,” Anna says. Furthermore, although the majority of selected Posse Scholars are of an ethnicity other than Caucasian, this is not a requirement for becoming a Posse Scholar. As Posse mentor and Government Professor Steve Orvis said, “Posse is not racially-based.”

Earning a Posse Scholarship is far from easy. It requires undergoing The Dynamic Assessment Process (DAP)—an intensive, multi-step recruitment program designed to identify students who have demonstrated ambition, notable leadership skills, and a keen interest in sharing multicultural knowledge with others.

The DAP begins with high school counselors and teachers, who are asked to nominate certain students as Posse candidates. After an intensive interview process, thousands of Posse applicants are narrowed down to a more manageable 60. At that point, students are entered into the final selection stage, in which the 20 top-tier partner universities and colleges select ten students for admittance to the college of their choice (Posse candidates can only choose one college from a list of schools participating in the Posse program) and grant them full tuition coverage for all four years.

The admission process does not end there for the Posse students that win this scholarship. Before starting college, they must enter an eight-month training session, which provides them with helpful strategies for breaking racial barriers and achieving academic success at college. Posse Scholar Anna observed that she and her fellow Posse peers possess a unique willingness to engage in “dialogue regarding every topic, [ranging] from racism to sex.” Posse Scholar Rita Tran ’09 noted that the training process also helped foster a bond and stronger support system among her other multicultural group members. “It’s nice to have a group of people you can trust and have a bond with before coming to Hamilton,” Rita remarked.

When the Posse of ten students finally arrives at Hamilton, each class of students is assigned to a mentor for two years. Professor Orvis is one such Posse mentor for the current sophomores. Each week, the Posse group meets with their mentor to learn ways to better adjust to life on campus. Orvis, among other Posse mentors, involves his advisees in a wide variety of activities both on and off campus. For instance, his Posse advisees participate in “Accepted,” a college preparatory program in which Posse students help counsel high school students in Utica on the college process. Such counseling includes advice on how to write applications and essays as well as how to choose the right college. Other Posse activities include a Posse Plus retreat, during which about 60 to 70 students gather for a weekend each year to discuss important campus issues.

Among the many benefits of the admittance of Posse students to campus, the Posse plays a crucial role in fostering diversity and in creating open discussion about difficult issues on campus. “[The Posse] is a great way to network and a very different way to go to college,” says Anna. “I’ve met some of the most amazing people in my life through Posse. I can’t imagine going through college without them.”

So next time you use the word “posse,” remember that it has other meanings as well. Each year on the Hill, there are 10 cultured, inspiring, and exemplary Hamilton students from each class well worth getting to know- the finest Posses around.

-melissa kong '08 and jenny brown '07