Cole Randolph, a Posse Foundation Leadership scholar, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in mathematics, music (performance), and economics. Cole was born and raised in Washington, DC, and began playing the cello at the age of five. He has performed in many venues including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The White House.

Cole studied cello under the tutelage of Uri Vardi, and has performed in masterclasses for various artists including Alban Gerhardt, Clive Greensmith, Steven Doane, and Timothy Eddy. Cole served as an African-American Fellow with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 2020-2021, and joined as a full-time section member in December 2021.