Students, faculty, and staff at the PossePlus Retreat explored the theme ‘Truth or Consequences?’ and got the change to meet and talk to new people. Photo by Emma Quirk ‘26.
By Emma Quirk ’26
Staff Writer
On Feb. 3, 2023, Mount Holyoke students and staff braved the cold weather to board buses for the first in-person PossePlus Retreat in three years. The one-night trip was held at the Hotel UMass at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, consisting of Posse Miami Scholars, faculty and staff, as well as other invited students from the College. The theme of the retreat was “Truth or Consequences?”
The Posse Foundation, according to their website, “identifies, recruits and trains individuals with extraordinary leadership potential,” and a PPR is meant to be a place to “explore an important social issue identified by Scholars.” For Scholars and mentors at the College, this program is far more than that.
Posse provides its Scholars with full-tuition scholarships to attend partner colleges and universities. The College works with Posse Miami, and about eight to ten Scholars who live in Miami, Florida, are welcomed to the College each year.
“Posse means everything to me, it’s what allowed me to go to college, it’s an organization that believed in me and saw my potential and gave me such a huge encouragement to follow that potential to the fullest,” Manuela Ribas ’26 said.
Gabriella Cordero ’26 stated that Posse is “life-changing” for Scholars. “I never thought I would be able to attend school outside of the state I live in, however, Posse gave me that opportunity.”
Students and mentors agreed that the PPR experience is not only a place to build community, but a place to be bold. PossePlus means that, in addition to Scholars and mentors being present, students and staff who are not directly connected to Posse are invited to join. These added voices are referred to as “plussers.”
“This retreat means an opportunity to come together and to have our voices, as students, be heard. It is also a chance for the wider Mount Holyoke College community to experience some of the benefits of Posse and get to know each other better,” Catherine Di Mare ’24 said.
While on campus, Scholars meet regularly with their mentor, a faculty or staff member who helps the students adjust and manage campus life. Each Posse cohort has their own assigned mentor. Mentors are trusted advisors who work to support their Posse.
Some of the faculty and staff who make up the PPR attendees are current Posse mentors. “This retreat is something magical, it reminds the scholars that they are part of [something. They are] one piece of a larger puzzle. They have a greater community not only within Mount Holyoke, but also through the network that is built by other Posse scholars around the country,” Jonencia Wood, a Posse mentor and assistant vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion said. “Additionally, this retreat gives the community a space to have difficult conversations in a brave space, without fear or hesitation.”
PPR is a place to gather to have honest conversations about what is occurring on the College’s campus as well as in the broader community. “It feels like one big family reunion where several extended families and family friends come together to have courageous conversations … What’s more, it is a space where students, staff and faculty can be their authentic selves without shame or judgment,” Roshonda Degraffenreid, a Posse mentor and senior associate director of external relations, explained.
An overarching theme of bravery and little moments of connection are what made this weekend special. “These students are powerful and on more than one occasion, I felt that if we all just listened to what was being said that they could change the world, starting at Mount Holyoke,” Wood said.
Cheryl Flynn, Medical Director of the College’s Health Services, said that she was “both touched and honored” to listen to “the authenticity of the experiences, stories and perspectives students shared.” She was invited as a “plus” to PPR and felt the retreat allowed her to connect with students in a different way than she normally does.
The space invited a unique blend of people that would not necessarily interact with each other on a regular basis to converse and share their ideas. On both Friday night and all day Saturday, the activities and discussions prompted attendees to seek out those who they did not previously know.
“I really enjoyed seeing so many staff, students and faculty, who may not have interacted if it were not for the retreat, conversing with each other. I love seeing people step outside of their comfort zone to volunteer and engage in the space. … And most of all, I loved building memorable moments with my Posse,” Degraffenreid, who is the mentor for Posse 12, said.
As students were given the opportunity to share their on-campus experiences, they brought up issues regarding the treatment of students with marginalized identities. In particular, the treatment of students living in the Shirley Chisholm and Mi Gente LLCs in the North Rockies was discussed. “Hearing the perspectives of students who live in the Black LLC in the Rockies really opened my eyes to some of the discrimination and mistreatment that students are actively experiencing,” Di Mare stated.
“[I learned that] the POC floors are getting unfair treatment and I think Mount Holyoke needs to address this problem at hand,” Cordero said. Now that this particular problem is on the radar of more students and staff, there could be a change in the action taken to fix any future issues.
Another topic that was discussed was healthcare and access to healthcare. “Many students, especially those with various marginalized identities … have had negative, sometimes traumatizing experiences with the U.S. healthcare system. Those truths result in many negative consequences … to individuals and community wellness. I want us to build a better system, to foster trust and build relationships that help heal past trauma and support health and well-being. What I’m bringing back to [the] MHC campus is renewed energy for this goal, inspired by students’ stories, fruitful dialogue and awesome voice of advocacy,” Flynn said.
Despite the deep and serious topics discussed at the retreat, attendees felt revitalized and motivated, and want to bring this energy back to campus. Participants felt that the goal of connectivity was certainly achieved.
Throughout the retreat, participants could write each other “Warm and Fuzzies,” which are small sticky notes that participants could leave anonymously, or sign, praising their peer’s ideas, applauding their bravery or even complimenting their outfit. Cordero said that she appreciates them because “in today’s society we are so caught up in the future that we never appreciate the present.” Warm and Fuzzies are a way to reach out and connect in a stress-free way.
The retreat concluded with a fan favorite, the “no-talent-talent show.” It was the last event before the buses returned attendees to the College, and the audience was largely PPR students. Everyone was encouraged to sign up, whether they had a specific talent or not. Performers sang, danced, shared their multilingual talents and more.
“We had so many incredible discussions throughout the weekend that I am so grateful for, but being able to laugh together at the end and just be happy with my fellow classmates was really sweet,” Di Mare said.
On reflection, this retreat was a reminder of the importance of coming together as a campus. “After this retreat, I feel like my energies have been recharged. Connecting with other Scholars and the MHC community at large helped me see that no matter what I’m going through, I have a whole network of people wanting to support me,” Ribas said.
For faculty and staff, it was also a reminder about the power and intellect of students. “It’s an indescribable experience that connects us with students in a way that you can’t through day-to-day interactions or passing through the halls. I would encourage everyone to come learn about Posse, but more so [to] listen to and really hear what the students are saying,” Wood said.