Stepping onto Paul Quinn College’s campus for the first time as president in 2007, Dr. Michael J. Sorrell faced a school on the verge of closure.
The historically Black college in Dallas held a mere 1% graduation rate and hovered at about a 30% retention rate. This made recruiting high-quality faculty members difficult.
But facing a crisis in the early stages of his presidency prepared Sorrell for a national crisis years later: the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You must figure out a way to make a case for yourself so when you come out of this period, people look at you and say, ‘I want to be a part of that community,’” he said. “You have got to communicate to people that you’ll be good stewards of their family members, of their dreams, of their aspirations. All of that was something that we had learned.”
After closing campus for 15 months, Paul Quinn—like other institutions—plans to welcome students back in-person for the fall semester.
In light of the fact that many students are returning to campus with trauma generated by COVID-19 and ongoing cases of racial injustice, Paul Quinn will offer more mental health support options and provide trauma resources to faculty and staff members. Sorrell also encouraged self-care, especially among individuals who care for students with trauma.
“We are going to have to be more compassionate,” he said during his keynote address at EVERFI’S 2021 Campus Prevention Network (CPN) Summit: Reimagine a Thriving Future for Higher Education held on Thursday. “We are going to have to be more honest. We are going to have to lead with love. We are going to have to be willing to step outside our comfort zones to provide the care that nurturing that people are really wanting.”
