Posse Foundation
The Posse Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that partners with select colleges and universities in the United States to provide student scholarships and leadership training. The unique Posse concept is centered on a cohort-based model that admits students to attend college as part of a "Posse" of 10 peers. Posse connects a network of more than 10,000 scholars and alumni.[1] [2]
Founded | 1989 |
---|---|
Founder | Deborah Bial |
Location | |
Area served | United States |
Website | www |
History
Posse was founded in 1989, first partnering with Vanderbilt University. After initially recruiting students solely from New York City, the program has expanded to serve students from more than 20 U.S. cities.[3][4]
The Posse Foundation's founder, Deborah Bial, received the MacArthur "Genius" Grant in 2007 for her work with Posse.[5][6]
In March 2010, the Posse Foundation was one of ten organizations chosen by President Barack Obama to receive a portion of his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award money.[7][8]
In 2021, Posse announced the launch of the Posse Arts Program, a new initiative committed to supporting cohorts of students in the creative arts, conceived in collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Luis A. Miranda Jr. and the Miranda Family Fund.[9]
Partner colleges
Posse has partnered with mix of research universities, arts conservatories, and liberal arts colleges that each commit to recruit Posse Scholar cohorts from dedicated regions in the U.S. The organization currently partners with 64 U.S. colleges and universities.[10][11]
Awards and grants
In 2013, Google awarded Posse a Global Impact Award with a $1.2 million grant to launch the organization's Posse Veterans Program, an initiative to support post-9/11 U.S. veterans in higher education and beyond.[12]
In June 2020, Netflix selected Posse for a $350,000 grant, part of the media company's commitment to donate $5 million to organizations creating opportunities for Black creators, Black youth, and Black-owned businesses.[13]
In December 2020, Posse received a $10 million gift from writer and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.[14]
The Posse Foundation frequently loses its status after being established due to an inability to recruit veterans.[15]
Notable alumni
- Rana Abdelhamid, former congressional candidate, founder of Malikah – Middlebury College Posse alumna[16][17][18]
- Koby Altman, President of Basketball Operations, Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) – Middlebury College Posse alumnus[19][20][21]
- Shirley Collado, CEO, College Track, Ithaca College President Emeritus – Vanderbilt University Posse alumna[22][23]
- DIXSON, musician and songwriter (2022 Academy Award nominee, Be Alive) – College of Wooster Posse alumnus[24]
- Eboni Freeman, television writer, This Is Us – University of Michigan Posse alumna[25]
- Kameisha Jerae Hodge, writer – Lafayette College Posse alumna[26]
- Monique Nelson, chair and CEO, UniWorld Group, Inc. – Vanderbilt University Posse alumna[27]
- Amanda Septimo, New York State Assembly member – Vanderbilt University Posse alumna[28]
- Erica Spatz, professor and cardiologist, Yale School of Medicine – Vanderbilt University Posse alumna
- Devin Walker, Director of Global Leadership and Social Impact, University of Texas at Austin - University of Wisconsin–Madison Posse alumnus[29][30]
- Robin Wonsley, Minneapolis City Council member – Carleton College Posse alumna [31]
References
- "Deborah Bial of the Posse Foundation: Success Isn't Always About You". The New York Times. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
- "Posse Facts & Figures". Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- Posse: Mission and History
- "Posse Scholars program celebrates 30 years of impact at Vanderbilt". news.vanderbilt.edu/. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- "MacArthur Foundation". Macfound.org. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- "Alum Awarded MacArthur Fellowship". Harvard Graduate School of Education. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- "Obama Donates Portion of Nobel Peace Prize Money to Posse". 13 April 2023. Retrieved on March 12, 2010
- "How Obama spent his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. 11 March 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- "'Hamilton' Creator Partners With Posse Foundation to Mentor Arts Students". wsj.com. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
- "Posse: College Partners". Posse Foundation. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
- "Posse: Partner College and University Profiles". Posse Foundation. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
- "Global Impact Award to improve veterans' higher education". blog.google. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
- "Netflix Pledges $5 Million to Support Black Creators, Youth and Black-Owned Businesses". yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
- "MacKenzie Scott Gives Away $4.2 Billion, and Colleges Rejoice". insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
- "Wesleyan Leaves Posse Program".
- "Middlebury grad teaches Muslim empowerment". Burlingtonfreepress.com. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- Weiss, Suzannah. "How This 22-Year-Old Is Helping Muslim Women". Bustle.com. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- Murray, Christian (2022-06-02). "Astoria Progressive Bows Out of Congressional Race Due to Redistricting". Jackson Heights Post. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- Rigas, Andrew. "From Midd to Cleveland, Koby Altman '05 Rises to GM of Cavs". Middleburycampus.com. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- Cohen, Ben (23 August 2017). "The GM Behind the Biggest Trade of the NBA Season". Wsj.com. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- "Cleveland Cavaliers' Koby Altman agrees to contract extension, new title, sources say". ESPN. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
- "At Ithaca College, a President Focused on Diversity". The New York Times. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- "College Track Names Dr. Shirley M. Collado New President & CEO". collegetrack.org. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
- "Wooster alumnus DIXSON nominated for Oscar with Beyoncé". College of Wooster. 2009. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- "UMich Alum Leads as TV Writer, Finishes Run on Acclaimed "This Is Us"". Posse. 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
- "Expressing Herself" (PDF). Lafayette. 2009. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
- "How Monique Nelson Is Bringing a Global Perspective to the Mainstream". si.com. 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- "Bronx Assemblywoman candidate and returning undergraduate student Amanda Septimo leads with compassion". vanderbilthustler.com. 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- "Dr. Devin Walker". diversity.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
- "Episode 041: Devin Walker". guttedstories.com. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
- Wonsley, Robin (May 6, 2020). "The Revolution is My Boyfriend". Minneapolis Interview Project. Retrieved 27 September 2022.