Empowering marginalized identities at Colby: The Posse Foundation
As a predominantly white institution, the emergence of a campus culture dominated by this majority identity is almost inescapable. In part, this is due to Colby’s history — like many liberal arts colleges, it has historically excluded those not white and privileged. But in another sense, this tradition continues to this day — those from upper-class backgrounds don’t depend on financial aid and are more likely to end up wealthy, which the school relies on. As a result, more students from upper-class backgrounds are admitted than those who do not share their socioeconomic privilege, which in turn determines the demographic constitution of campus.
Nevertheless, Colby has been making strides to increase diversity amongst the student body through internal institutions like the Pugh Center and via partnerships with external organizations, such as the Posse Foundation.
According to the organization’s website, the Posse Foundation’s primary mission is to recruit talented students from underserved communities and shape them into the next generation of leaders. Through their unique evaluation process and their pre-collegiate and on-campus programs, Posse creates an avenue for students from marginalized backgrounds to break into predominantly white, exclusive institutions.
Marthe Godwilling Unkap `24 is a Posse Scholar at Colby — one of ten to be selected for the program.
“Posse is an organization that strives to find not necessarily students from undeserving backgrounds but a diverse group of students who challenge themselves academically and thrive exceptionally and stand out. They believe that with rigorous selection and training, they can serve as catalysts for individual and community development,” Unkap said. “The selection process is a three-step interview process and a final round with finalists from each partner school. Ten of the finalists are selected to go to their respective matched schools.”
The selectivity and intensity of the process showcase the extra effort that students of minority identities put in to end up at elite institutions such as Colby. Expanding accessibility to institutions that pride themselves on exclusivity is a challenging feat, but organizations such as Posse take significant strides to bridge this gap.
The foundation also plays an important role in the lives of Posse Scholars.
“I find that the beauty in Posse is really just the diversity and the inclusion they make sure they have in each batch — that’s where the power lies,” Unkap explained. “My personal experience on campus has been the peaceful mindset I have, knowing that I have a support system I can go to at any time if things aren’t okay. Also, knowing that we’re from the same city really creates a sense of comfort and safety as we conquer the real world and its challenges together.”
One of the most effective elements of Posse is the creation of a support system for students during their college years, demonstrating how the organization recognizes that admission into elite universities is only the beginning. Thriving both during college and after college is a challenge in and of itself, but this difficulty is heightened when considering the fact that students of minority identities are surrounded by people who came in with more privilege and more opportunities. Support systems are essential to truly empowering students, encouraging them to leave their mark on the world.
“Posse’s mission is to improve the diversity in predominantly white schools and expand the horizons of those minority groups that have limited resources,” Laura Romero Gamez `24 explained. “They also expand the possibilities for minorities to thrive in the workforce and to give them the chance to go to a college with support from people that come from the same background as you.”
Posse is just one out of several resources available to students who hold minoritized identities at Colby. However, while these resources do exist and are crucial when it comes to dismantling the domination of the majority culture and promoting the values of diversity, equity and inclusion, there is still a long way to go. The first step is to promote visibility of these groups — they may not have the same recognition or awareness as SGA or Colby Outing Club, but that doesn’t make them any less vital to the Colby campus or Colby experience.
~ Hae-Jung Kim `24
Cover Photo Courtesy of The Posse Foundation’s Website
