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Connecticut College partners with The Posse Foundation

July 16, 2008

NEW LONDON, Conn. - Connecticut College is partnering with The Posse Foundation, an organization that identifies, recruits and trains student leaders from urban public high schools to form multicultural teams called "Posses" that enroll in top-tier colleges nationwide.

Connecticut College will welcome its first Posse of 10 full-scholarship students from Chicago in the fall of 2009.

"The idea behind Posse is that a small diverse group of talented students can serve as a catalyst for social change and community growth on our campus," Dean of Admission Martha Merrill said. "As Connecticut College continues to diversify its student body - in terms of race, culture and socioeconomic background - these Posse students will arrive prepared to lead and make an impact on campus."

Posse President and Founder Deborah Bial said the partnership will benefit both the college and the foundation. "We are thrilled about our partnership with Connecticut College," Bial said. "It represents an incredible opportunity for our students."

The Posse Foundation selects students from six major cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. These students attend an intensive eight-month Pre-Collegiate Training Program that focuses on academics and leadership, before enrolling in groups at partnership institutions.

"Posse Scholars are trained by terrific professionals all of whom are graduates of liberal arts colleges," Dean of the College Community Armando Bengochea said. "They will enter the College each year prepared to engage their peers in all facets of cross cultural communication and to enliven classroom discussions."

Since The Posse Foundation was founded in 1989, the organization has placed more than 2,200 students at some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the United States.

Among the most selective private liberal arts colleges in the nation, Connecticut College enrolls 1,900 men and women from 41 states, the District of Columbia and 71 countries. The college is known for putting the liberal arts into action through interdisciplinary studies, international programs, funded internships, student-faculty research and service learning. Founded in 1911, the college operates under an 86-year-old honor code. The college is located at 270 Mohegan Ave, New London, about two hours by car from Boston and New York. The 750-acre campus is an arboretum overlooking Long Island Sound. For more information, visit www.connecticutcollege.edu.

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For more information contact: Amy Martin (860) 439-2526; a.martin@conncoll.edu