One of the most visible programs bringing greater diversity to the Lawrence campus is Posse. In 2006, Lawrence established a partnership with the Posse Foundation, Inc., joining an elite group of 26 colleges and universities across the country associated with the program. Each year, a culturally diverse cohort of 10 student leaders from New York City public high schools is selected to join Lawrence’s incoming freshman class.

Bring an eager and talented student from New York City to the Lawrence University campus in Appleton and she may struggle to find her niche. Bring that same eager student along with nine equally motivated friends—all prepared by counselors and mentors for the transition—and success is almost certain. The Posse Scholar program is an exciting initiative that provides scholarships for talented student leaders from major U.S. urban centers to attend elite colleges and universities, including Lawrence.

The Posse Foundation, Inc., identifies, recruits, and trains student leaders from public high schools to form multicultural teams called “posses.” These teams are then prepared, through an intensive eight-month pre-collegiate training program, to pursue their academics and participate as leaders on campus while helping broaden ethnic and racial diversity and cross-cultural communication.

The concept works for both students and college campuses, and is rooted in the belief that a small, diverse group of talented students, carefully selected and trained, can serve as a catalyst for increased individual and community development.

How is the program working? Nationally, Posse students are persisting and graduating at 90 percent—a rate higher than the national averages at institutions of higher education.

In the fall of 2010, Lawrence welcomed Posse 4, the fourth group of talented New York City students to come to campus looking for the unique Lawrence experience.