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Student Association is working to reinstate the Posse Scholarship program for students from Los Angeles. 

The Posse Foundation offers full-tuition scholarships to high school students from underrepresented backgrounds. SU’s Posse scholarships program currently offers scholarships exclusively to students from Miami, though it also offered them to students from Los Angeles and Atlanta until the university cut those programs in 2015. 

SA President Justine Hastings and Vice President Ryan Golden promised to reinstate the Posse Los Angeles and Atlanta programs during their campaign. 

“I don’t know why Posse LA and Atlanta were cut,” Hastings said. “I recently met with Keith Alford, SU’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, who works closely with Posse Miami and he is not sure why either.”

Hastings and Golden will meet with Ryan Williams, vice president for enrollment management, to discuss bringing back the Posse Los Angeles program, Hastings said. SU’s decision to cut the programs raises concerns about the university’s priorities and its commitment to enrolling underrepresented students, she said. 

Williams has said in the past that any money saved by reducing SU’s involvement with Posse would be put toward other forms of financial aid including both merit and need-based financial aid.

Besides increasing diversity among SU students, Posse serves as a valuable support system for students who may otherwise not have one, said SA Comptroller Julio Burgos, who is a Posse scholar.

Burgos, a senior studying economics, came to SU through the Posse Miami program. Posse Scholars are nominated prior to their high school senior year and undergo a rigorous interview process before being admitted to the program, he said. 

“When you get into the school with a full-tuition scholarship, it is tremendous,” Burgos said. “Most people cannot afford Syracuse. It is a lot of help.”

Aside from the financial assistance the Posse Foundation has provided him, Burgos said having a faculty mentor has enhanced his experience at SU. 

“You meet with your mentor at least once a week freshman and sophomore year because they help with the transition from high school to college,” Burgos said. “It is not only students but also very helpful SU administrators that make the student-faculty relationship better.”

Posse scholars have access to extensive career services, including a career development coach that connects scholars to different resources.

As Hastings and Golden work to restore the Posse Los Angeles program, Burgos said he would encourage all eligible students in Miami to apply to the Posse program.

“I personally have had a great experience, and there is nothing I can see improvements with,” Burgos said. “I took advantage of all of the resources given to me. It is a great program with great people.”

Published on November 1, 2020 at 9:07 pm

Contact Alexandra: azpollac@syr.edu