The Posse

Every once in a while in the course of campus ministry you are given a gift, a student that chooses your group as the community through which they hope to not only continue following Jesus, but to make a lasting impact on campus -- a student comes ready to jump in with both feet to pursue the vision you are pursuing.

Enter Jasmin, a Tulane freshman who contact Jen this summer after she had researched, on her own, some of the different Christian communities active on Tulane's campus. She had decided that Chi Alpha was the group for her. And, when she got on campus, she followed through, and found us. It has been a blast getting to know Jasmin, who has become a regular part of the co-ed Satellite group I help lead.

Jasmin has been brining around her Posse, as well. So far, I've had the chance to meet Erick (who has also plugged into the co-ed Satellite group), Mae (who is looking into joining our fledgling music team), and Johnny (a self-proclaimed atheist who seemed to have an amazing time at Satellite group when he visited). Jasmin is already leading others toward Jesus at Tulane in just her first weeks on campus!

What is this talk about her Posse?

Jasmin is part of the first Posse of students at Tulane.
"The Posse Foundation identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes. Posse’s partner colleges and universities award Posse Scholars four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarships. These Scholars graduate at a rate of 90 percent and make a visible difference on campus and throughout their professional careers."

This group of twelve students at Tulane represents a move on the university's part to increase ethnic diversity on campus, and is the first step in the direction of establishing The Posse Foundation in New Orleans to help local public high school students toward their futures.

As Jasmin leads her Posse towards the truth of Jesus and the community of Chi Alpha, we are seeing an answer to a prayer we have prayed since beginning at Tulane in 2003 -- a diverse group of students worshiping the Savior and leading the way in breaking down walls of social segregation at Tulane. (Tulane is not institutionally segregated by any means; however, the student body has a long history of segregating itself, building walls between people groups that are difficult to get over.)

God is good!