Posse Program

Founded in 1989, the Posse Foundation is a student opportunities and youth leadership program that matches promising high school students with top-tier colleges and universities across the United States. Each year these students enter college in a multicultural cohort (Posses) of 10. The Posse Foundation helps colleges and universities diversify their student body and create an inclusive, welcoming campus. Additionally, the Posse program empowers the scholars to excel in their academic pursuits while being active leaders on their respective campuses. 

Cornell alums Barton and Susan Winokur, both Class of 1961, were instrumental in bringing the Posse program to Cornell in 2013. A group of alumni, Ron McCray ’79 and Dennis '65 and Joyce '66 Black, recently announced a major challenge grant to provide funding for the program for at least the next five years. The Posse Challenge is a 1:1 challenge match for current-use gifts, with a minimum qualifying gift of $1,000 a year and a maximum gift amount of $250,000 a year. The challenge will begin Dec. 1, 2018 and will conclude on Dec. 31, 2020. For questions about the Posse challenge, contact Julie Albertson, at julie.albertson@cornell.edu

Donate to Posse

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.

• Posse scholars reflect on four years of growth
• First Posse graduates reflect on their journeys
• Posse members explore theme of 'Us vs. Them' at annual retreat
• First Posse shares their 'incredible gifts'
• Third Posse group thriving at Cornell
• Freshman’s company uses big data to improve cancer diagnoses
• Tech entrepreneur deploying big data against cancer Watch: Abu’s TEDxTeen talk