D.C. Awards Ceremony Welcomes New Scholars
More than 400 guests filled the historic Lincoln Theatre this past January to welcome 52 new Posse Scholars at the 15th annual Posse D.C. Awards Ceremony. The students were awarded more than $9 million in full-tuition merit scholarships by Bucknell University, Lafayette College, Sewanee: The University of the South, University of Rochester and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The newest Scholars hail from 33 high schools across the D.C. capital region. Of the Scholars, 59 percent will be the first in their family to attend college in the United States.
“It was so rewarding to hear the families and nominators of these fantastic young leaders express their support for our Scholars’ futures,” says new Posse D.C. Director David Barber of his first experience attending an Awards Ceremony. “The college and university partners were clearly excited to invite the Scholars to their campuses. We sincerely appreciate their investment in these aspirational young people from the D.C. region.”
“Being recognized as a Scholar was an emotional and gratifying moment in my life.”
The Scholars, chosen from a pool of more than 1,500 nominees, demonstrate exceptional academic and leadership potential.
"Being recognized as a Scholar in the Posse ceremony was an emotional and gratifying moment in my life,” says Brionna Wiggins, who will attend Sewanee: University of the South. “As I wiped away my tears onstage, I realized that my dream of going to college without burdening my family was finally within reach because of the support from Posse."
From January to August, the new cohorts of D.C. Scholars participate in Posse’s intensive Pre-Collegiate Training, which ensures they are prepared to succeed academically and as campus leaders. They will matriculate as college first-years in the fall.
