The Posse Foundation developed a program to prepare Veterans for the college experience. The Posse Veterans Program sends Veterans to college as teams – or “posses” – to both give and receive support throughout college and beyond.Posse Foundation Veterans program

Posse identifies and supports post-9/11 U.S. Armed Forces Veterans who have tremendous leadership and academic potential. The program seeks Veterans interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree at top colleges and universities and who are excited to be active, engaged leaders within their “posse” and campus communities. The Posse Veterans Program cohort model, along with assistance and support throughout their academic careers, ensures Veteran success in college and, ultimately, in the workforce.

How it works

The Posse Veterans Program consists of four components:

  • The Dynamic Assessment Process (DAP) is a unique, three-stage interview process that identifies talented Veterans who can succeed at Posse’s top-ranked college and university partners. We look beyond a basic paper application to assess an applicant’s academic and leadership potential.
  • Pre-Collegiate Training (PCT) is a Posse’s one-month, intensive training program that takes place the summer before starting college. We bring Veterans and their posse together in New York City to focus on leadership development, academic excellence and team building.
  • On Campus Mentor pairs a Posse’s Veterans with a tenured faculty member as a personal mentor, which provides a strong foundation during the first two years of undergraduate study (crucial to long-term success in higher education).
  • Career Program places Posse partners with over 200 of the world’s top employers looking specifically for Posse Scholars as interns and full-time employees after graduation. Posse’s career program exposes Veterans to professionals in various industries and events designed to build networks and career-path knowledge.

Who is eligible?

Military Veterans or transitioning service members who have been, or will be, honorably discharged by summer 2023 and who:

  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have served at least 90 days of active duty since 9/11/2001.
  • Have at least one day of G.I. Bill eligibility remaining.

Partner colleges and universities

Each of The Posse Foundation’s partner institutions guarantees full tuition will be covered for all four years – even when a Veteran’s G.I. Bill, Yellow Ribbon and other government funding runs out. Partner institution financial aid policies provide excellent packages based on financial need to help cover costs of other college expenses. Posse’s four university partners are:

  • Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH) case.edu.
  • Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) tamu.edu.
  • The University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA) virginia.edu.
  • Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) wesleyan.edu.

How to apply and what to expect

To nominate yourself or someone you know for enrollment in fall 2023, please visit: www.possefoundation.org/veterans.

Nominees will be contacted for a first-round interview (as a group with other Veterans). If selected as a semi-finalist, Veterans will be scheduled for a second-round, individual interview with Posse staff. If selected as a finalist, candidates will interview for a third, and final, round with a partner school Admissions Team. Applicants will be asked to rank the four Posse partner schools in order of preference. Posse will make every effort to accommodate the Veteran’s first choice.

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7 Comments

  1. Barbara Murray-Charging Crow May 5, 2022 at 17:01

    WTF is up with 9/11 being some arbitrary line in the sand of American Soldiers service and benefits?!
    I am watching my Partner with an Honorable Discharge suffer today TREMENDOUSLY because her date was 2000.
    Even with her PTSD it is: Vietnam Vets and Post 9/11 Vets. As if her actions and after effects as Medic in Bosnia and Kuwait don’t matter! She is in her mid 40’s! WTF IS THIS SHT!

  2. George Morgan May 5, 2022 at 15:50

    Comment on showing you the ropes and understanding the process is the way to go. I went to a highly rated University before I went into the Military. When I came out I went back on a Leave of Absence from a civilian position with the government and used my GI bill + time in a reserve unit to supplement it. This is the way to go for me. It will be a little different for different folks. This however is an excellent way to go if you can work it out. When I first went on Activity Duty a man in my Officer Class was getting schools through the Reserves, that would seem to work for a lot of people. He actually was able to do more than most people and that was in 1969.

  3. George Svoboda May 5, 2022 at 14:15

    We didn’t start out as a posse at first . We become one within school of Architecture At Navy Pier in Chicago in 1948. We still have members around. Originally their where over 50.

  4. Robert Bauman May 5, 2022 at 09:44

    Boston Architectural College, Boston, Massachusetts!!!!

    I used my Military College Benefits to study here in 1970 it was a 6 year “Night School” for Veterans who had to work and wanted an Education, PERFECT. In my Thesis Year (1976) I returned to Minnesota from Boston, the Company was willing to foot the bill to complete my Education in Boston. I worked on my Thesis with suggested Local Instructor and when it came time for My First Architectural Presentation in Boston, the Dean of the School wrote a letter to my Employer and said the did NOT like working “by remote control” with out of state students and denied me an Appointment for my Presentation. After 6 year of getting paid by the US Government Boston Architectural Collge slammed the door in my face and my Plans to be an Architect went down the toilet.

  5. Dennis White May 4, 2022 at 22:26

    The posse foundation doesn’t do any of the things it claims.

    I won a so called “posse scholarship” but was encouraged to take out student loans rather than get any scholarship money.

    The staff regularly told us we had to do extra work without pay thst takes away from study times and more important campus activities.

    It’s basically the Universities administration using veterans for PR, because my experience with posse staff was miserable the second after I was “selected.”

    Just be aware they regularly force scholars to go to anti union law firms and anti union orgs.

    The truth is, veterans don’t need a posse to get through school and they don’t need wealthy scam artists in Washington DC to get through either.

    Of the 10 selected In mg cohort of wes 2019, only two people would attend the final event after the way we were treated.

    It’s awful the VA didn’t learn more about the posse foundation people who’ve already been through the program rather than believing whtever posse staff says.

    Next time yoh run into a posse recruiting event, ask them what their completion rate is for the veterans program. If they answer honestly, or try to dodge the question , there is your answer.

  6. Dan May 4, 2022 at 18:54

    This is a pretty good idea – wish it had been around when I was in college.

  7. Don Magel May 4, 2022 at 18:12

    This was more important than I ever expected.
    I started at a Junior college and quickly met a vet my age (21) and a retired disabled Navy
    Chief. If it wasn’t for them I would have gone back to work in a lead refinery.
    The Chief explained to us how colleges and professors operated and how to know what they thought was important enough
    to test us on. I would never have figured that out at that age.
    I went on to earn a PhD and tenure at a major U.S. university and I am now retired comfortably.
    The lead refinery would have killed me thirty years ago.
    Team up Anand find a Chief that understands the college game.

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