The science Posse program at Brandeis is among one of the major accomplishments of the United States science, technology, engineering and math initiatives, according to a Feb. 7 release from the White House Office of the Press Secretary.

According to the press release, "the Posse Foundation, an effective program to bring under-represented, urban students from diverse backgrounds to college and help them graduate, is announcing a commitment to create a ‘STEM Posse' in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York and Washington D.C." Brandeis became the first university in the U.S. to start a science Posse program in 2008, and the first class of accepted Posse students will be graduating this spring.

Since 2008, the science Posse program at Brandeis has drawn 10 students from New York City on a merit-based scholarship program for inner-city students seeking to study in the sciences. According to the Brandeis Posse Program website, it is one of the most competitive scholarship programs in the country and students regularly graduate with university and departmental honors.

However, the Posse Foundation and the creation of STEM programs have expanded beyond Brandeis. In addition to Brandeis, Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Penn., the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Texas A&M University and Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Penn. will also be creating science Posses of their own.

Prof. Irving Epstein (CHEM), who heads the science Posse program here, explained in an interview with the Justice that the science Posse of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is in its first year, and that Franklin & Marshall has just finished recruiting the students for its science Posse, which will start this coming September.

"We and Wisconsin are drawing from New York [and] Franklin & Marshall is taking its posse from Miami," he said. "The idea is to get up to 10 science Posses across the country taken from 10 different cities."

According to Epstein, the nod from the White House is an indicator that the Posse Foundation could be receiving more funding in the future.

"I think in the long run, … it means that there's going to be [more funding], maybe it depends on how the election goes, but if you assume that President Obama will still have something to say about this, what it sounds like is that there will be a significant amount of funding for STEM education and that clearly Posse has the attention of the people in Washington."

As the "flagship science Posse," Brandeis will likely be playing a role in helping new Posses get started, Epstein explained. This may mean receiving a share of any new funding that the Posse Foundation receives, but the Brandeis Posse program is also applying for additional funding. According to Epstein, the program here has a proposal pending to the National Science Foundation for $600,000 to use primarily for scholarships for students in the science Posse program, whose scholarships are currently being funded by the general University scholarship pool.

Another use for any incoming funding may be used to create a second science Posse when the University feels it is ready, Epstein said. "We can have one Posse or we can have two Posses, but we can't have one and a half," Epstein explained, going on to say that "certainly if we did two science Posses, we would take them from different cities."

So, would the Brandeis science Posse continue to draw from New York City?

"Probably, although that's negotiable," Epstein said. "We've been pretty happy with New York so far and I think it'll depend on how things shake out."