Since 2001, Carleton has participated in the “Posse” program, a student scholarship and leadership program. The program incorporates an intensive mentoring structure that pairs each cohort with a faculty mentor for their first two years in college. Each year, around ten Posse scholars are selected from a diverse applicant pool of public high school students to participate in Carleton’s program. The chosen students meet as a group prior to their arrival on campus, and attend group meetings, activities and trips throughout the year.
The Posse program specifically targets applicants who were “overlooked because of structural inequality and an over-reliance on traditional measures of aptitude,” according to their website. Selecting scholars and creating cohorts through a rigorous three-month selection process.
Different from regular academic advisors, Posse mentors are involved with their cohort both inside and outside of classrooms.
“I met with each of them every week, I met with the full group every week, [I] saw them through their entry to Carleton. Then, in their final two years, I was around when there were emergencies,” said Professor Clara Hardy, the mentor for the class of 2025 Posse cohort.
“I think faculty, by large, are quite invested in the program. So it is a lot of time. You get some release from teaching because you’re spending so much time with these students, and that can be hard to juggle, but I think the rewards of working that closely with students are high,” Hardy continued.
“I have a one-on-one with a mentor who gets to know me personally … and it differs from the usual academic advisor and student relationship,” said Luis Oviedo ’28. According to Oviedo, Posse makes him “more confident” because he always has someone to “fall back on.”
For many students from an ethnically diverse high school, adapting to a predominantly white college like Carleton can be a challenge. Therefore, mentorship becomes a source of support for Posse students.
“Students can create a support system by themselves, [and] that can be peer support that then gives strength to other support systems that the college has in place,” Hardy said.
When Posse students arrived on campus, Dean of Students and Posse Liaison Carolyn Livingston welcomed the students. “Livingston gave us a tour. And she took us to different places on campus that you wouldn’t normally go to if you were on a normal tour for acceptance,” said Edwin Pleitez Quintanilla ’28.
There are many reasons for a person to apply to the Posse program. According to Luis and Edwin, they both believe that “studying at an out-of-state college” is going to be a new and challenging experience. Unlike Oviedo and Pleitez Quintanilla, applying for this program was more like an “accident” for Jose Velazquez ’28.
“The way I found out about Posse was because [of] my senior seminar teacher… he brought it up, and then our school sent out an email during the summer of junior year… I think it was three days before that application was due. Yeah, I finished it real quick,” said Jose.
In many ways, Posse is a unique program differing from other supportive organizations on campus. “If I meet someone and they happen to be from Posse, [and] it’s like an instant connection and, you know, you have something to talk about,” said Luis.
“The Posse Plus retreat takes place during the first week of Spring Term, and it’s a weekend-long sort of trip, so two days. And it’s a whole weekend having fun talking about social issues… We’re talking about our different opinions and what we think or how we feel about some certain idea. We disagree and agree, but without being aggressive. So I really like that aspect because we’re able to share what we really think in a space that is not limited,” Edwin said.
Posse hosts activities for students to maintain their community, creating a chance for students to establish strong bonds with each other. Students become not only peers, but a family away from home.
“I can remember, especially, a pair who made this pact that they were going to go to the rec center early in the morning, and they would, you know. One would show up and knock on the other one’s door and say, ‘Come on, you know, time to go.’ So that kind of creation of accountability among peers I think is a really powerful thing,” Hardy said.
The connection between Posse students lasts beyond their college years. “Posse sort of follows you as you navigate college, and it follows you into your career,” Luis said. “Also, there’s a whole… Posse-alumni network. It really helps find opportunities outside of Carleton College, like internship opportunities. I got an internship over the summer through Posse.”
“I think the program is…creative, it’s interesting, it’s a productive approach. It’s also very resource intensive. And that’s the kind of thing that I would wonder as I was doing the mentoring: every Carleton student could benefit from this,” Hardy said.