Posse Scholars From Puerto Rico to Join L&C

Students from the inaugural Posse Puerto Rico cohort at Lewis & Clark.
Credit: Hollie Elliott

In an expansion of its three-year relationship with the Posse Foundation, Lewis & Clark will welcome to campus this fall its inaugural cohort of scholars from Posse’s newest recruitment location: Puerto Rico. These students will join L&C’s third group of Posse scholars from Washington, D.C., making L&C Posse’s only dual-program institution in the Pacific Northwest.

All Posse scholars receive full-tuition scholarships to attend Lewis & Clark. Scholars also receive mentorship and resources before, during, and after the program to set them up for success during their time at the college and beyond.

With more than 30 years of experience recruiting and mentoring students—the majority of whom are first-generation college students from traditionally underrepresented communities—Posse’s comprehensive model of support has a proven track record of success. Posse scholars’ college graduation rate is 90 percent, and nearly half of them go on to pursue advanced degrees.

The Posse students from Puerto Rico will have the opportunity to start building their Lewis & Clark community during the week of March 25, 2023. A group of 15 L&C students will spend a week in San Juan doing volunteer work as part of the college’s Alternative Spring Break program. Among their activities will be a meet-up for the program participants and the incoming Posse students. The coordinators of this year’s alternative spring break–Allison Beebe, program coordinator for the Center for Social Change and Community Involvement, and student coordinators are Damaris Medina BA 25 and Leah Huffington BA 25–planned this year’s meetup based on a similar event for Posse scholars and L&C students that took place during last year’s spring break trip to Washington, D.C. Director of the Center for Social Change Andrea Salyer’s hope is that this will become an annual piece of the college’s alternative spring break programming.

L&C's Washington, D.C., cohort of Posse Scholars.
Credit: Eric StaabLewis & Clark’s partnership with Posse grew out of shared values of equity, inclusion, and representation. Posse’s unique nomination and assessment strategies identify students with leadership and academic potential that might go undetected with traditional admissions criteria.

“Our first two Posse cohorts from Washington, D.C., were so successful that we jumped at the chance to be a part of Posse’s newest recruitment site in Puerto Rico,” says Vice President of Admissions and Financial Aid Eric Staab. “Posse is truly dedicated to student success. The Posse students who come to campus are leaders who thrive in Lewis & Clark’s globally minded community of critical thinkers and innovators.”

With the arrival of 20 scholars this fall—10 from Washington, D.C., and 10 from Puerto Rico—the number of Posse students on campus during the 2023–24 academic year will be close to 40.

While Lewis & Clark is the first institution in the Pacific Northwest to serve as a dual-program institution with Posse, President and Founder Deborah Bial notes, “Today, almost a third of our partners recruit multiple cohorts each year. These newest expansions are a testament to our partners’ commitment to diversity and to the immense value that Posse Scholars bring to their campus communities.”

Posse Foundation Partnership L&C Welcomes First Posse Cohort