For eight months Posses meet weekly for two-hour workshops to prepare for the role they will play on campus and for the high level of academic standards they will encounter at college. The 8-month program consists of a series of focused and structured workshops designed to train the carefully selected Posse Scholars to be both successful college students and strong leaders. The training program also endeavors to create powerful teams so that the Posse Scholars may work together to address issues of diversity on the university campus. Over the course of eight months, Posse Scholars participate in workshops which address four different areas: 1) team building and group support; 2) cross-cultural communication; 3) leadership; and 4) academic excellence. The Posse training program is also designed to help the Scholars address many of the personal challenges they will face at college, including time and financial management, managing their own group interactions, and adapting to college life. Occasionally, the Scholars themselves are called upon to lead meetings. By the end of the 8-month program, the Scholars have learned the structure and tone of the workshops so that they can easily translate the formula to their work with student groups on campus. At the end of training, Posse Scholars attend a weekend retreat outside of the city intended to address individual and group issues; it is an important time to solidify the group's cohesion. Back to the top