Seniors Kelsey Davis, Remy Usman, and Imani Holmes demonstrated their initiative, creativity, and persistence as they attended the final round of POSSE interviews in Atlanta.

The POSSE Foundation, an American non-profit organization, recruits, interviews, and trains multicultural students from high schools across the country to develop their leadership skills. After outshining other competitors in the previous rounds, the judges invited Davis, Usman, and Holmes to undergo a final interview to possibly attain a full tuition scholarship to any of their partner schools.

“I was honored to be in the top 25 because I was in the presence of so many amazing people in the community. When we were going around and talking about ourselves, one girl said she did a TED Talk,” Davis said.

The interviews went beyond pinpointing successes in SAT and ACT scores. They lasted three to four hours, centering on discussions regarding controversial topics.

“I was surprised that I made it to state level, because in the second round I almost ran out of time,” said Usman.

The program followed a non-traditional set-up, composed of interactive workshops in which students worked in small groups, designing projects. These activities tested students’ teamwork and communication skills.

“Through these interviews, I learned a lot about myself as I interacted with other leaders. I loved meeting people who were like-minded, strong, and passionate about education and a desire to change the world,” Holmes said.

Davis, who plans to attend Syracuse University with a television and production major and an advertising minor, also thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“I love that it’s a leader-based scholarship. I know I’m not the strongest in academics, so this was the best fit for me. I also like the way they set up their interviews; they had us do a lot of hands-on things like building Legos, rather than just sitting down and answering questions,” Davis said.

Holmes, who wants to double major in international studies and business, hopes to attend Brandeis University to further evolve her leadership expertise.

“My capabilities as a leader are beginning to show. The POSSE Foundation opened up a door to something I’ve never experienced before,” Holmes expressed.

POSSE looks for students who gear their interests towards issues of community and diversity. Applicants should display attributes of maturity and perseverance. Most importantly, however, they must stay true to themselves.

Usman, who will attend Boston University to study social sciences, offers advice for future POSSE scholarship candidates: “Be yourself; genuineness will shine through. Sometimes, the best leader is one that steps back and doesn’t hold the reigns 24/7. If you’re fit for the program, you’ll get it. If you’re not accepted, don’t worry. It’s probably for the best,” she advised.