Posse Bay Area Celebrates 10 Years, Posse Scholar Graduations
In April, the Posse Bay Area marked its 10th anniversary and celebrated the graduations of Posse Scholars from the site’s college and university partners: Boston University, Lehigh University, the University of Puget Sound and, for the first time, St. Olaf College.
Established in 2015, Posse Bay Area has since supported 324 Scholars who have collectively earned more than $72 million in full-tuition scholarships from Bay Area partner colleges and universities. Nationally, The Posse Foundation has served over 14,000 students since opening its doors in 1989.
On May 23, Posse Bay Area celebrated the graduation of its inaugural St. Olaf College cohort, a group of Scholars whose accomplishments reflect academic excellence, leadership and commitment to service.
Among the new graduates, several are already making their mark in health care. Carolina Cornejo, a psychology graduate, was accepted into a clinical psychology doctoral program and is gaining additional experience in the mental health field while preparing for further graduate study. Clarissa Arias earned her nursing degree and recently obtained her registered nurse license. She will begin a residency program at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota this fall.
In STEM, Xiao Qing Situ, a mathematics graduate, finished summa cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She is preparing to travel to Taiwan for an 11-month Fulbright English Teaching Flagship position. Yonatan Simie, who majored in computer science, relocated to New York City to begin work as a software engineer at SMBC.
The graduation of the inaugural St. Olaf cohort underscores the vision behind Posse Bay Area’s expansion to the college in 2019. It also reflects the broader impact of the site’s work over the past decade. By helping students access top-tier institutions, develop as leaders and launch meaningful careers, Posse Bay Area continues to build a legacy of achievement and opportunity. As these Scholars begin careers, graduate study, and international fellowships, they carry forward the skills and networks developed through Posse’s supportive community and leadership training. Their achievements, alongside those of the hundreds of Bay Area Scholars before them, highlight the lasting value of investing in diverse leaders prepared to make an impact across industries and communities.
