Class of 2022: The Last Members of Posse New York

MARQUISE BRINKLEY ’21
CONTRIBUTING WRITER 
Two weeks have passed since Trinity welcomed the class of 2022 onto campus. With a total of 609 students, the class of 2022 is Trinity College’s most diverse class in history.
Of this incoming class, international students represented a total of 15%, and now there are 72 countries represented here at Trinity. Trinity, however, did not only become more internationally diverse but domestically diverse as well. 54% of students are from outside of New England, and there was a 37% increase in students from the west coast compared to last year’s incoming class. Trinity is starting to make more of a name for itself outside of the New England area and the rest of the east coast.
As one door opens to a great batch of students from all around the world, another door closes. The class of 2022 will be the final New York Posse. Posse is a merit scholarship which recruits and trains students from public high schools to become student leaders on their college campuses. The program that has brought 160 great people together from all over New York City to Trinity will be ending its journey after 16 years with these final 10 members.
“Finding out that I would be a part of the final New York Posse was kind of saddening. After months of getting to know the other nine members in my posse, I felt that I would be able to give wisdom to those that would be the next 10 in the upcoming year. I feel as if I am missing out on a basic Posse experience,” stated Jederick Estrella, member of New York Posse 16.
“Posse to me means family. The fact that I have a support system not only within my posse but with other posses as well is incredible. Being a part of the final New York Posse is really sad because we lose the opportunity to mentor other students. Nevertheless, things happen for a reason and I hope that Trinity finds ways to create programs that can provide opportunities to New York students,” said Ailani Cruceta, another member of New York Posse 16.
Now that Trinity will only be represented with one new Posse per year, Posse Chicago, the funding that would have gone to Posse New York will now be reallocated to other places such as First Generation to support students from all over rather than just one city. So while it is okay to be sad that the 16 year New York Posse journey is ending, we should celebrate the fact that we are ending on such a high note with the 10 Posse Scholars who just made their way onto campus.
The Trinity admissions team has managed to bring together 609 people from all walks of life whether they are a first-generation student or are from places such as Turkey or Portland. So take the opportunity to get to know the class of 2022.