Our History + Mission

The concept of a Posse works for both students and college campuses and is rooted in the belief that a small, diverse group of talented students—a Posse—carefully selected and trained, can serve as a catalyst for increased individual and community development.

Our History

Posse started because of one student who said, “I never would have dropped out of college if I had my posse with me.” That simple idea of sending a group of students to college together to act as a support system for one another was the impetus for a program that today has become one of the most comprehensive college access programs in the United States.

Vanderbilt University was Posse’s first partner institution and took a Posse of five students from New York City in 1989. Four years after setting foot on Vanderbilt’s campus, all five members of Vanderbilt Posse 1 graduated with honors and accolades.

Since then, Posse has sent 4,223 Scholars to top-tier colleges and universities throughout the country. Nationally, Posse Scholars have won $484.5 million in scholarships from Posse’s partner institutions and are persisting and graduating at a rate of 90 percent—significantly above the national average.

Our Mission

The Posse Foundation has three goals:

  1. To expand the pool from which top colleges and universities can recruit outstanding young leaders from diverse backgrounds.
  2. To help these institutions build more interactive campus environments so that they can be more welcoming for people from all backgrounds.
  3. To ensure that Posse Scholars persist in their academic studies and graduate, so they can take on leadership positions in the workforce.