The Posse Foundation Inc

POSSE STARTED BECAUSE OF ONE STUDENT WHO SAID, "I NEVER WOULD HAVE DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE IF I HAD MY POSSE WITH ME." THE POSSE FOUNDATION, FOUNDED IN 1989, IDENTIFIES PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH EXTRAORDINARY ACADEMIC AND LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL WHO MAY BE OVERLOOKED BY TRADITIONAL COLLEGE SELECTION PROCESSES. THE FOUNDATION EXTENDS TO THESE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BY PLACING THEM IN SUPPORTIVE, MULTICULTURAL TEAMS ("POSSES") OF 10 STUDENTS. THE FOUNDATION'S PARTNER UNIVERSITIES AWARD POSSE SCHOLARS FOUR-YEAR, FULL-TUITION LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS.

THE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SUB-PROGRAMS: RECRUITMENT, PRE-COLLEGIATE TRAINING, CAMPUS AND CAREER AND ALUMNI. FOR THE RECRUITMENT PROGRAM, FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER EACH YEAR, POSSE CONDUCTS THE DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT PROCESS (DAP), A UNIQUE EVALUATION METHOD DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY YOUNG LEADERS WHO MIGHT BE MISSED BY TRADITIONAL ADMISSIONS CRITERIA, BUT WHO CAN EXCEL AT SELECTIVE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. FOR THE PRE-COLLEGIATE TRAINING PROGRAM FROM JANUARY TO AUGUST OF THEIR SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL POSSE SCHOLARS MEET WEEKLY WITH STAFF TRAINERS AND THEIR POSSE PEERS FOR TWO-HOUR WORKSHOPS. THE TRAINING PROGRAM CONSISTS OF WORKSHOPS THAT ADDRESS FOUR AREAS: TEAM BUILDING AND GROUP SUPPORT, CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION, LEADERSHIP AND BECOMING AN ACTIVE AGENT OF CHANGE ON CAMPUS, AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. FOR THE CAMPUS PROGRAM, POSSE STAFF MEMBERS VISIT EACH UNIVERSITY FOUR TIMES A YEAR FOR MEETINGS WITH POSSE SCHOLARS, CAMPUS LIAISONS AND MENTORS. EACH MENTOR MEETS WEEKLY WITH THE POSSE AS A TEAM AND WITH EACH SCHOLAR INDIVIDUALLY EVERY TWO WEEKS DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS IN COLLEGE. IN ADDITION, POSSE FACILITATES AN ANNUAL WEEKEND-LONG POSSEPLUS RETREAT ATTENDED BY MEMBERS OF THE LARGER STUDENT BODY, FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION, WITH THE GOAL OF DISCUSSING IMPORTANT CAMPUS ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY POSSE SCHOLARS. FOR THE CAREER PROGRAM, POSSE PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SCHOLARS AND ALUMNI BY PROVIDING THEM WITH THE TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES NECESSARY TO SECURE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND CAREER-ENHANCING INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS. ONE OF THE WAYS POSSE ACHIEVES THIS IS BY PARTNERING WITH EXCEPTIONAL COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS BOTH NATIONALLY AND ABROAD. CURRENTLY, POSSE HAS MORE THAN 250 PARTNER COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE. THE CAREER PROGRAM HAS THREE CORE COMPONENTS: THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, CAREER COACHING, GRADUATE AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS AND THE ALUMNI NETWORK.