NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a White House press release today, President Obama acknowledged The Posse Foundation's STEM program as aligned with his key initiatives to prepare 100,000 new science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers and, over the next 10 years, train one million additional STEM graduates to fill the growing number of jobs that require STEM skills.
"When students excel in math and science, they help America compete for the jobs and industries of the future," said President Obama. "That's why I'm proud to celebrate outstanding students at the White House Science Fair, and to announce new steps my Administration and its partners are taking to help more young people succeed in these critical subjects."
The president's announcement comes on the day of the second White House Science Fair celebrating student winners of a broad range of STEM competitions across the country, including Posse Scholar Steven Colon. Currently a senior at Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School in the Bronx, New York, Steven was recently awarded the Posse Scholarship to enroll at Brandeis University this fall as a member of the university's fifth STEM Posse.
Over the next five years, The Posse Foundation—an effective program to bring under-represented, urban students from diverse backgrounds to college and help them graduate—will continue to develop its STEM initiative to recruit cohorts of students in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York and Washington D.C. To meet its goal, Posse has already secured support from five universities: Brandeis University, Franklin & Marshall College, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Texas A & M University and Bryn Mawr College.
The Posse Foundation started because of one student who said, "I never would have dropped out of college if I had my Posse with me." Since its founding in 1989, Posse has sent 4,223 urban public high school students to college in multicultural teams of 10 students—Posses – with a persistence and graduation rate of 90 percent. The Posse Foundation piloted its first "STEM Posse" at Brandeis University in 2008, with promising early results of 100 percent graduation, with the majority of participants interested in pursuing graduate or professional degrees in a STEM field.
"Posse could not be more thrilled to receive this recognition from President Obama in this critical mission to prepare our country's next generation of doctors, scientists, engineers, inventors, researchers and teachers," says Posse President and Founder Deborah Bial. "With its partner colleges and universities, Posse continues to help create a new and diverse network of leaders in the workforce, and we are committed to supporting the education and development of students in the STEM fields."
For more information on The Posse Foundation visit www.possefoundation.org