WALLA WALLA — Starting in 2024, Whitman College will receive a cohort of 10 students from Chicago each year through a new partnership with the Posse Foundation.

The Posse Foundation is a national nonprofit that partners with colleges across the country to recruit students with academic and leadership potential. Posse Scholars attend college as members of multicultural teams of 10 students and receive full-tuition scholarships.

“I have seen firsthand the incredible impact that Posse Scholars can have on campus as well as the transformative experiences that colleges like Whitman can offer these students,” said Whitman College President Sarah Bolton. “I am thrilled about the new partnership with the Posse Foundation and look forward to welcoming our first 10 excellent students from Posse Chicago in the fall of 2024.”

Posse Scholars go through an eight-month training program before starting college, are supported through all four years of college and are provided with help to secure internships and find leadership-track jobs after graduation.

The foundation also will provide yearly mentorship training for staff leaders and for a Whitman College faculty member who will meet frequently with the Posse Scholars on campus.

“We’re so pleased to be partnering with the Posse Foundation in Chicago,” said Adam Miller, the college’s vice president for admission and financial aid. “We have seen strong growth in our number of incoming students from Chicago in recent years, and this partnership will solidify Whitman’s presence there.”

This fall, the Posse Foundation will work with Whitman to identify 10 students from Chicago who will be admitted in 2024 as the college’s first cohort.