Davidson College announced that it will end its partnership with The Posse Foundation on Friday, May 2, leading current Posse Scholars to reflect on their time with the program and causing some to speculate that the partnership has been heading toward a natural conclusion for years.
Evolving admissions priorities and strategies are the main reason for the decision, according to an email sent to scholars by Vice President and Dean of Admission & Financial Aid Christopher Gruber on May 2.
In the decade since the first Posse cohort came to Davidson in 2015, “the landscape for higher education has changed drastically,” Gruber wrote. “We have increased our commitment to recruiting students for whom Davidson will be a transformational experience, particularly for students who are eligible for Pell Grants and for students who are the first in their family to go to college.”
Davidson will continue to support the current cohorts of Posse Scholars on campus through the incoming Class of 2029. “For the scholars who remain on campus, and for those joining us in the fall, we are committed to providing the scholarship, mentoring, and resources that were promised to them and offering them an unparalleled educational experience,” Gruber wrote.
“We firmly believe in the Posse philosophy of building tight friendships between scholars, and their faculty and staff mentors — friendships that remain strong after graduation. The diversity of backgrounds and life experiences that [Posse scholars] bring to campus make Davidson a better place,” Gruber continued.
Posse Scholar and Senior Admission Fellow Simon Lau ‘25 emphasized that the decision is unrelated to the Trump administration’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion practices at colleges and universities, but rather something Davidson has been considering for a while.
“Working [in admissions], it’s apparent that they weren’t too happy with some of the things that [have been happening with] the Posse Foundation […] There was a lot of turnover in the Posse Foundation in recent years, which caused a lot of issues with certain policies,” Lau explained.
Posse Scholar Abi Brissett ‘26 thinks the administration noticed declining engagement over the past few years. “I know attendance [at Posse events] has been low […] and I remember one of the Posse leaders saying it was really important for us to go this year, because Davidson was kind of starting to pay attention to how much of an impact Posse seemed to be having on the individual students,” Brissett said.
Current scholars emphasize the importance of supporting programs that expand opportunity for marginalized students. For many, Posse makes attending college out of state a possibility. “I had only considered going in-state,” Lau said. “I really wanted to be in a new environment. I liked how Davidson was a smaller community, liberal arts school, and I never would have been able to do it if it weren’t for Posse.”
Ultimately, the decision reminds Lau that programs like Posse are subject to change. “A lot of times, we just assume this is a program that’s going to be happening forever,” Lau said. “But I think the reality of it is, it’s so important to maintain relationships. Once you have something, it’s really important to cultivate and make sure that everything’s going well with it.”
Despite areas for improvement, Lau is grateful for his time as a Posse Scholar. “I’m really proud to be part of this community.”
As scholars grapple with the news, questions linger. In particular, some students wonder where funds currently earmarked for Posse will be reallocated. “It’s important to know where that money is going and how that’s going to affect future classes, and especially future class diversity,” Brissett said.
Students with questions should contact Associate Director of Admission and Director of Access Programs Marlene Arellano, according to Gruber’s email, who was not available for comment by print deadline.
