Vanderbilt recently announced the addition of two new cohorts to the Posse Scholars program: Miami and Atlanta. The expansion builds upon the original Vanderbilt Posse launched in New York over 36 years ago as well as the addition of a second New York cohort and a new Houston cohort in 2023. The university now counts five total Posse cohorts鈥攖wo more than the average university involved with the program.听
鈥淰anderbilt and Posse have shared an enthusiastic, long-standing collaboration rooted in a shared philosophy of seeking out the next generation of dynamic leaders wherever they may be,鈥� said Douglas L. Christiansen, vice provost for university enrollment affairs and dean of admissions and financial aid. 鈥淲e look forward to welcoming these exceptional young scholars to the Vanderbilt community, as we believe their rich variety of talents and perspectives will greatly enrich our campus.鈥澨�听
The Posse Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that identifies and supports high school students with academic excellence and leadership potential, connecting them to prestigious colleges and universities. The program helps Vanderbilt recruit from different geographies in its ongoing effort to bring different perspectives to the classroom. The university鈥檚 collaboration with Posse aligns with its commitment to excellence and to growth and development. By minimizing financial and other barriers that might impede students鈥� access to the university, the Posse Scholars program helps broaden the range of perspectives, backgrounds and expertise on campus.听听
Students in all the cohorts鈥攊ncluding those who will join the university鈥檚 incoming first-year class in 2026鈥攁re guaranteed a full-tuition scholarship based on leadership and engagement within their communities. The university will also meet any demonstrated need beyond the cost of the scholarship. Posse is also granting Vanderbilt $1 million over five years to help with programming costs and annual fees associated with the new cohorts. That amount is in addition to the $1 million grant currently being used to run the new Houston and New York cohorts.听听
鈥淧osse would not exist without Vanderbilt. In 1989, Chancellor Joe B. Wyatt took a chance on a then-untested program, giving Posse a strong foundation from which to grow. For over 36 years, Chancellor Diermeier, Provost Raver, Vice Provost Christiansen and their exceptional teams have been elevating the partnership to new heights,鈥� Posse President Deborah Bial said. 鈥淏y welcoming more Posse Scholars to campus than ever before, Vanderbilt is not only transforming lives but also strengthening a network of leaders who will shape our country鈥檚 future.鈥澨�听
Jeremi London鈥擵anderbilt Posse faculty director, associate provost for academic opportunity and associate professor of mechanical engineering 鈥攊s thinking creatively about how to foster community and a sense of belonging as the program grows. 鈥淚鈥檓 honored to serve at the helm of the flagship Posse program during this time in its history,鈥� London said.听听
ENDURING COLLABORATION听
Vanderbilt was the first university to collaborate with The Posse Foundation when it was launched in 1989 by social entrepreneur Deborah Bial. Since then, nearly 400 Posse Scholars have thrived at Vanderbilt and enriched the campus community, receiving over $52 million in tuition assistance from Vanderbilt. However, this figure does not capture the additional aid from Opportunity Vanderbilt that students who demonstrated financial need greater than the tuition may have received.听
The Posse Scholars program is based on the philosophy that a small, diverse group of talented students鈥攁 posse鈥攃arefully selected and trained, can serve as a catalyst for individual and community development. Posse students are chosen based on their experience, leadership ability and drive to succeed.听
Posse Scholars bond throughout their last year of high school while receiving precollegiate training on navigating the college experience. Under the leadership of a faculty director and Posse mentors, the鈥�鈥痜osters a sense of belonging through a network of mentoring relationships forged during their first two years on campus and engagement with cross-cohort community-building programs spanning all four years. And the success of Posse Scholars is evident. They go on to pursue impactful careers in every sector of society. Several members of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust are also Posse alumni.听
鈥淢y Vanderbilt Posse experience profoundly changed my life and my family鈥檚 life,鈥� Posse鈥檚 Senior Advisor of Creative Content Rico Blancaflor, BS鈥�98, said. 鈥淚 gained a world-class education and a durable network that influences how I navigate and make sense of the world today. As an early alum and longtime employee of Posse, I鈥檝e witnessed firsthand the profound impact of this relationship, now in its 36th鈥痽ear. The expansion of Posse at my alma mater fills me with pride. I hope the world can see and learn from Vanderbilt鈥攈ow long-term collaborations, woven with optimism and trust, can enrich institutions and transform lives.鈥澨�听
BRINGING IN DIFFERENT VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES听
The Posse Scholars program is one of many collaborative relationships that Vanderbilt has forged as the university works to bring many different voices and perspectives to campus.听听
Among them is the , a prominent coalition of colleges and universities dedicated to ensuring that students from small-town and rural America have the information and support they need to enroll and graduate from the college or university of their choice. Since the inception of STARS, Vanderbilt鈥攐ne of the co-founding institutions鈥攈as been involved in events geared toward small-town and rural community outreach, resulting in a 26.8 percent increase in applications from small-town and rural students from Tennessee and an impressive 93.9 percent increase in admitted students from those areas.听
Vanderbilt also collaborates with , a national college match program that鈥痗onnects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with Vanderbilt University and other top colleges. From the inception of QuestBridge, the number of admissions to Vanderbilt through the program has increased from an initial 15 students per academic year in 2014 to a current class of 75.听
- Learn more about the鈥�.听
- Explore becoming a Posse mentor through a conversation with Faculty Director Dr. Jeremi London.听
- 贵辞濒濒辞飞鈥�.听