IWU Posse Legacy Project

Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) is a private liberal arts institution in Bloomington, IL. This university officially announced its partnership with the Posse Foundation in 2016, with the first Posse cohort entering in Fall 2017. The last Posse cohort is expected to graduate in 2027. To honor and document the Posse program’s legacy at IWU, we are developing an Oral History Project that celebrates the impact of IWU Posse Scholars on the campus community and society at large. The Posse effect does not end when all Posse members leave the institution. Posse scholars are leaders who make an impact on the institution, the people they interact with, and overall community development.

Nathalie Romero ‘25 led the 2025 Posse Oral History Project to celebrate and document the impact of the Posse program at IWU. Nathalie conducted interviews with scholars, alumni, faculty, and staff who have played significant roles in the Posse journey. Their voices and experiences are an essential part of telling the story of how Posse shaped IWU, nurturing cultural diversity, forward thinking, and change among the community.

Internally, each Posse cohort is given a number to designate which Posse cohort they are in. For example, the first Posse cohort that entered in 2017 is named Posse 1, the following cohort entering Fall 2018 is named Posse 2, and eventually, the Posse cohort Nathalie is a part of, Posse 5. Since Nathalie is part of a Posse cohort, she has had the chance to interact with all participants in some way during her college journey at IWU. Therefore, some interviewees speak about shared experiences between themselves and Nathalie.