V.P. for Enrollment Champions Posse at Syracuse U.

This past fall, Syracuse University welcomed its first Posses from Atlanta, Los Angeles and Miami. Helping to pave the way for those 30 Scholars is Donald A. Saleh, the vice president for enrollment management at Syracuse and Posse liaison.

“When presented with the opportunity to pick one [Posse city], the chancellor, provost and I looked at each other and said, ‘Why not three?’” says Don. “We have a diverse, strong student body... . We have a community with mentors, faculty and staff who support the students in very important ways.”

As a first-generation college graduate, Don relates to the experiences of many Posse Scholars. He relied on the support of his 11 siblings—all of whom graduated from college—as an undergraduate at Buffalo State and went on to earn his master’s degree from Kent State University after teaching middle school science for a number of years.

In his role at Syracuse, and previously as associate director of financial aid and student employment at Bowling Green State University and as dean of admissions and financial aid at Cornell University, Don’s commitment to making college education accessible and diverse is the hallmark of his nearly 35-year career.

“I’m most proud of the role I’ve played in helping to reshape the [Syracuse] undergraduate student body,” Don says. “Students learn better and are better prepared for life after college when they’re part of a diverse learning community.”

“Our Scholars at Syracuse," says Matt Fasciano, Posse's chief operating officer, "have access to all the resources of a large school and they are part of a dynamic, supportive university community that gives it a small-school feel.”