Lynn, MA – February 2nd, 2021 – Three KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate students from the class of 2021 have been chosen as Posse Scholars, which awards full scholarships to students with extraordinary leadership and academic potential, and places them at highly selective colleges and universities as part of a group of 10 students from the same city. This “posse” of students receives support and development from their senior year of high school through their time on campus. Posse is one of the most successful college scholarship and support systems in the country, with a 90% graduation rate and over 9,000 alumni.
Emma Njigua will attend Centre College, Serena Porte will attend Bucknell University, and Bhenzel Cadet will also attend Bucknell University.
Serena Porte decided to apply “because college is very expensive and this scholarship would help with that. I also never really considered going out of state of college, but the idea that I would be going with a posse that would soon become my friends, made me comfortable going out of state.” Serena went on to say that she chose Bucknell “because it has a strong engineering program, fun clubs and a lot to do on and off campus.”
Emma Njigua, who first found out about the Posse Scholarship her freshman year from her teacher Mr. Peters, said she decided to apply because “the Posse mission aligned with what I wanted for my future. The support and guidance that Posse offers during the college years and beyond is an exciting opportunity for me.” Emma says she chose Centre College because of Centre’s “commitment to its students, particularly the commitment to having all students have the opportunity to study abroad. Studying abroad is very meaningful to me as it will allow me to expand my worldview and broaden my connections.”
Bhenzel decided to apply to Posse because of all the benefits he would receive, such as its career program which allows him to have access to direct career counseling. Bhenzel elaborates, “this is especially important to me because I am first generation and I don’t have the familial or institutional knowledge of navigating through the college campus.”
When asked why Bucknell, Bhenzel said, “I’m really interested in accounting and financial management at Bucknell because it allows me to participate in its SMIF (Student Managed Investment Fund) program, I also believe Bucknell will set me up for my entrepreneurial interests. I started my sneaker business about 4 months ago and in the progress of creating my own brand. I am already engaged in marketing and accounting behind starting my own business and the business and development center is where I could be an incubator and learn more about entrepreneurship more formally.”
Congratulations to all three of our Posse Scholars!
About the Posse Foundation:
Since 1989, The Posse Foundation has identified, recruited and trained more than 9,200 public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership. These students have received a total of $1.4 billion in full-tuition leadership scholarships from Posse’s partner colleges since the program’s inception. Most important, Posse Scholars persist and graduate at a rate of 90 percent and make a visible difference on campus and throughout their professional careers. Posse’s ultimate goal is to build a leadership network that better represents the country’s rich diversity.
About KIPP Massachusetts
KIPP Massachusetts is part of a non-profit network of college preparatory, public charter schools educating elementary, middle, and high school students. KIPP MA operates five public charter schools across Boston and Lynn, serving more than 2,000 students in grades K-12. KIPP MA has a 15-year track record of preparing students in educationally under-served communities for success in college and life.
About KIPP
KIPP is a non-profit network of college-preparatory public charter schools educating elementary, middle, and high school students. KIPP schools are part of the free public school system and enrollment is open to all students. There are 242 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia educating over 100,000 students on their path to and through college, careers, and life. KIPP believes that great teachers and school leaders, a supportive learning environment, and an emphasis on both academics and character are the foundation for student success. KIPP students complete college at a rate that is above the national average for all students and four times higher than that of students from similar economic backgrounds.
