Twelve Montgomery County Public Schools students have been named recipients of full-tuition, four-year college scholarships through the Posse Foundation, MCPS announced.
The Posse Foundation identifies public high school students with exceptional academic ability and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college admissions processes. Students selected as Posse Scholars receive full-tuition merit scholarships and are placed into small, diverse cohorts, known as Posses, at partner colleges and universities. These teams receive structured support before college and throughout their undergraduate years.
Nationally, more than 65 colleges and universities partner with the Posse Foundation to offer these scholarships. This year, 60 students from the Washington, D.C. region will collectively receive more than $15 million in full-tuition leadership scholarships from six partner institutions.
The 2025 Posse Scholars, including the 12 students from MCPS, will be recognized at a formal ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. According to MCPS, the following students were selected as Posse Scholars, along with the colleges they will attend:
From Montgomery Blair High School, Priya Tapia-Pereira will attend Bucknell University.
From Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Asha Anthony will attend Lafayette College, and Ciella Ndikumana will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
From Clarksburg High School, Kendra Ndongo will attend the University of Rochester.
From Albert Einstein High School, Sidi Cisse will attend Sewanee: The University of the South.
From Northwest High School, Vidhi Patel will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
From Paint Branch High School, Vincent Do will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
From Seneca Valley High School, Rachel Gordon will attend the University of Rochester.
From Springbrook High School, Roscoe Hines will attend Lewis & Clark College.
From Watkins Mill High School, Hillary Juarez Mendez will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
From Wheaton High School, Kithmini Attanayake will attend Lafayette College, and Andres Simon will attend Lewis & Clark College.
MCPS credited the students’ achievements to their academic commitment, leadership, and perseverance, noting that the Posse program provides not only financial support but also a strong network designed to help students thrive in college and beyond.
