NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Posse Foundation announces the award of $18 million in leadership scholarships to 180 outstanding high school seniors nationwide. This year, 4,000 high school seniors were nominated by their counselors, teachers and mentors for the Posse Program in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.
Of the students nominated, 180 will be selected as Posse scholars by December 20th. Each Posse scholar will receive a four-year full-tuition leadership scholarship worth $100,000 from one of Posse's university partners. Once selected, Posse scholars will be placed in supportive multicultural teams of ten, and participate in Posse's 8-month pre-college training program before beginning their college career. In the fall of 2003, these Posse scholars will go off to college together. Posse university partners include: Bowdoin College, Brandeis University, Bryn Mawr College, Carleton College, Colby College, Denison University, DePauw University, Dickinson College, Grinnell College, Hamilton College, Lafayette College, Middlebury College, the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Vanderbilt University and Wheaton College.
For thirteen years, The Posse Foundation has been identifying, recruiting and training high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential, and sending them in "Posses" to top colleges and universities across the country. Posse 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. Since 1989, more than 530 urban youth have been awarded $44 million in scholarships. Currently, there are hundreds of Posse scholars on campus and over 100 Posse alumni. Posse scholars persist and graduate at a rate higher than 90%.