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Posse: a support system before college even starts
by Lindsay Markel
Features | 9/7/04
Posted online at 2:12 AM EST on 9/7/04
The Posse Foundation was the brainchild of a Brandeis alumna, Deborah Bial '87, who is now the foundation's president. Bial used to work for a non-profit educational organization in New York City.
"She was seeing that the students that she helped with their education didn't all graduate," said Edgar Ndjatou, '06, Posse scholar and senator for racial minorities.
Bial's students told her that they could have succeeded in higher education if they had the support of their 'posses.' So, in 1989, the concept of the Posse was formed.
Many Posse scholars now hold high positions in the Brandeis community. In addition to Turner and Ndjatou's positions, Engy Lamour '07 is the treasurer of BBSO, Ammatullah Morgan '06 is BBSO's secretary, Shakiva Wade, '07 is the BBSO representative to the Intercultural Center (ICC) and Tae Youn Jacob Kim '06 serves as the director of diversity affairs for the Student Union Executive Board.
"Posse Scholars are leaders in the classroom, and they are leaders in campus activities," Godsoe said. "They bring a tremendous amount of positive energy to the campus."
First-year Orientation Coordinator Alana Hamlett, '06 said that the Posse Foundation helped her a great deal in her scholarly endeavors. She felt that the skills she gained from Posse training, along with the built-in support system, contributed to her substantial success at the University. She commented on both the practicality and helpfulness of the atmosphere Posse creates. "We're all spread out, but we support each other."
Although the scholarship can provide amazing opportunities to members of groups widely underrepresented on college campuses, drawbacks can exist too. Since Posse scholars feel so closely connected with their Posse, isolation could be a natural progression.
"People have this negative connotation of Posse [concerning isolation.] Initially, you come in and only know your Posse, so you are more comfortable with them, but you eventually branch out just like everyone else," Frias said. "It's not like we're here on a mission, we're just regular college students doing what college students do."
"She was seeing that the students that she helped with their education didn't all graduate," said Edgar Ndjatou, '06, Posse scholar and senator for racial minorities.
Bial's students told her that they could have succeeded in higher education if they had the support of their 'posses.' So, in 1989, the concept of the Posse was formed.
Many Posse scholars now hold high positions in the Brandeis community. In addition to Turner and Ndjatou's positions, Engy Lamour '07 is the treasurer of BBSO, Ammatullah Morgan '06 is BBSO's secretary, Shakiva Wade, '07 is the BBSO representative to the Intercultural Center (ICC) and Tae Youn Jacob Kim '06 serves as the director of diversity affairs for the Student Union Executive Board.
"Posse Scholars are leaders in the classroom, and they are leaders in campus activities," Godsoe said. "They bring a tremendous amount of positive energy to the campus."
First-year Orientation Coordinator Alana Hamlett, '06 said that the Posse Foundation helped her a great deal in her scholarly endeavors. She felt that the skills she gained from Posse training, along with the built-in support system, contributed to her substantial success at the University. She commented on both the practicality and helpfulness of the atmosphere Posse creates. "We're all spread out, but we support each other."
Although the scholarship can provide amazing opportunities to members of groups widely underrepresented on college campuses, drawbacks can exist too. Since Posse scholars feel so closely connected with their Posse, isolation could be a natural progression.
"People have this negative connotation of Posse [concerning isolation.] Initially, you come in and only know your Posse, so you are more comfortable with them, but you eventually branch out just like everyone else," Frias said. "It's not like we're here on a mission, we're just regular college students doing what college students do."
