On January 22, Lowell High School (LHS) and Middlesex Community College Early College Program students Bernardo Cordeiro and Dominic Lebron were honored as Posse Scholars by the Posse Foundation. The Posse Foundation grants scholarships and awards to diverse groups of high school student leaders across the country. As recognition for being successful in their academics, Cordeiro and Lebron received full-tuition scholarships to four-year colleges, Centre College and Rutgers College, respectively.
“Being recognized as a Posse Scholar feels surreal and really meaningful to me,” Cordeiro said. “Knowing that all the hard work I put into helping others and creating impact in my community brought me this amazing opportunity to attend college for free and major in political science.”
To receive their awards, Cordeiro and Lebron attended the Posse Scholarship Award Ceremony. They invited Janice Coughlin, MCC’s Department Chair of Criminal and Social Justice and Assistant Professor. Instructing their Introduction to Criminal Justice class, Coughlin made a positive impact on their success.
“Events like this reinforce my commitment to student-centered work, remind me how impactful intentional mentorship and community can be, and instill hope for our future generations,” Coughlin, said. “I especially value working with Early College students because their potential is amazing. Supporting them as they build confidence, discover their strengths, and learn to advocate for themselves is both energizing and grounding for me.”
Cordeiro discovered his academic passions and career path through MCC’sEarly College Program. He enjoyed many of the program’s workshops that allowed him
to learn beyond the classroom, connect with the local community, and build a strong
network of MCC professors and professionals. His experience helped him gain confidence
in managing deadlines, asking for help when needed, and understanding college-level
expectations.
At Centre College in Kentucky, Cordeiro hopes to build a career in public and foreign policy. In addition to his studies, this provides an opportunity to combine the leadership and community skills he gained at MCC.
“MCC’s Early College Program pushed me to be the best version of myself,” Cordeiro said. “I would never have imagined that I could get a great head start in my professional life while still in high school. It showed me that challenges can be overcome when you put hard work and dedication into them.”
Lebron also credits the LHS and MCC program for helping him build skills and earn credits toward his college major without having to wait to graduate from high school. Staff and faculty at MCC encouraged his educational journey and pushed him to take advantage of all opportunities available to him.
“My top thing about the Early College Program is the constant support that is available for students who are taking these courses,” Lebron said. “It stems outside of the LHS advisors and ventures into the faculty at MCC. Everyone at MCC is incredibly welcoming and supportive.”
Planning to attend Rutgers University in New Jersey, Lebron will be a first-generation college student and hopes to study criminal justice and psychology. His future goal is to have a career that helps victims of crime in his community.
“It feels amazing to be honored with a scholarship such as this,” Lebron said. “As of 2026, I will be the first one in my family to attend college, and with a scholarship that is helping me out financially and socially. Seeing my mother’s, advisors’, and teachers’ reactions to my award made my hard work worth it to me.”
Learn more about MCC’s Early College and dual enrollment programs.