Rhodes College has formed a new partnership with The Posse Foundation to offer full-tuition leadership scholarships to diverse cohorts of students from Memphis and cities around the United States. Many of the cohort members will be the first in their families to attend college and typically attend high schools that are often overlooked in tradition student recruitment.
The partnership with Rhodes will be the first time The Posse Foundation has recruited a cohort composed of students from multiple cities. Remote learning prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic has paved the way for this innovative partnership. Up to two members of each Rhodes cohort could hail from Memphis.
“We are very excited to partner with The Posse Foundation to recruit these cohorts of talented and motivated students to Rhodes. Posse’s team-based model equips students with the skills to thrive in the classroom and lead on campus. This is an important step in achieving our strategic goals and supporting inclusive excellence,” President Marjorie Hass says.
The Posse Foundation identifies, recruits and trains high school students with extraordinary leadership potential. The Posse Scholars will receive full-tuition scholarships from Rhodes. Prospective students may be nominated for the Posse opportunity by public high schools and community centers, and other organizations that serve high school students.
J. Carey Thompson, Vice President for Enrollment and Communications and Dean of Admission, is thrilled with the new partnership. “The Posse Foundation will help us identify outstanding young people who will be excellent leaders and strong students who we might not otherwise find on our own. Posse helps ensure student success with a 32 weeklong pre-collegiate orientation that prepares students to take advantage of the opportunities that a residential college provide. The Posse cohort also trains with a Rhodes faculty mentor who works with each student over the course of their first two years.”
Rhodes will award full-tuition scholarships to 10 students each year of the partnership. The Posse Foundation will identify a field of 20 highly qualified students from around the United States for the Rhodes Admission Office to consider.
“We could not ask for a better partner to help us expand the program to more cities,” says Posse President & Founder Deborah Bial. “Creating opportunities for students from all backgrounds to excel is critical. We share Rhodes’ commitment to diversity and look forward to working with President Hass and her team to ensure the program’s success.”
Rhodes joins more than 60 Posse partner colleges and universities the United States. The foundation has deep roots in Tennessee; Vanderbilt University was the first school to partner with Posse. Since it was founded in 1989, approximately 10,000 students have been awarded more than $1.5 billion in Posse Scholarships. Participating students graduate at rates above 90 percent.