One of the most well-known stories exemplifying the dramatic turnaround of Paul Quinn College—a historically Black college in Dallas, Texas—led by President Michael Sorrell, GrEd’15, is the WE Over Me Farm.
Putting in Work
Michael Sorrell is using his doctorate from the Graduate School of Education to open new doors for students at Paul Quinn College—and he’s not done yet
Published: August 24, 2022
The college’s unused football field was transformed into an urban farming oasis, growing more than 60,000 pounds of produce that is used in dining halls and sold to local restaurants and grocery stores, helping address the food desert conditions of its locale.
It is a story of innovative thinking, transforming obsolescence into excellence in service of a greater good. But Sorrell emphasizes that it isn’t the only one. “What I am proudest of is we aren’t a single story,” he says. “From fighting for environmental justice to combating poverty, we are embodying what higher education is supposed to do: provide opportunities that improve the lives of students and communities.”
Built on an unused football field, the WE Over Me Farm represents an innovative approach to serving students and the local community that exemplifies Michael Sorrell’s leadership at Paul Quinn College.
One of Sorrell’s signature initiatives is the Urban Work College model. Paul Quinn students participate in a work-learning program, including job placement for all four years, gaining valuable experience while reducing the cost of education. Over 80% of Paul Quinn students graduate with jobs. Sorrell credits his father, a restauranteur, as an inspiration for the value of hard work.
Sorrell’s path to the presidency at Paul Quinn College was a bit unorthodox. A former corporate securities lawyer who worked for the Clinton administration, Sorrell moved to Dallas and became involved with the college as a donor. Eventually, he was invited to join the Board of Trustees. After five years, and four presidents, Sorrell was tapped for the top job.
Though he did not have an education degree when he started his tenure as the longest-serving president in the college’s history, he graduated from Penn GSE’s Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management program as he continued increasing enrollment and implementing creative strategies to help students succeed. “I believe there is room for everyone. My experience at Penn helped produce a vision of what Paul Quinn could accomplish in service of that belief,” Sorrell says.
One example of that vision is the Villages program, where incoming students with a 3.0 GPA who qualify for federal financial aid can choose two family members or friends to enroll with them. The goal is to ease the pressure faced by first-generation college students and increase the odds of success through mutual support.
“Higher education is the only place I know where we expect the people with the least resources to do the most,” Sorrell says. “We don’t ask affluent students to rescue their families or their neighborhoods, but we feel comfortable putting that onus on first-generation and lower-income students.”
When COVID-19 emerged, Sorrell faced a new challenge. The students and neighboring community were especially vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic. With a background in crisis management, Sorrell took a long view, using the shift to online learning constructively—literally and figuratively.
Over the past three years, Michael Sorrell seized the opportunity to spark the next phase of transformation at Paul Quinn College, including adding a new basketball court, an auditorium, and the Trammell S. Crow Living and Learning Center.
Over the past three years, Michael Sorrell seized the opportunity to spark the next phase of transformation at Paul Quinn College, including adding a new basketball court, an auditorium, and the Trammell S. Crow Living and Learning Center.
Over the past three years, Michael Sorrell seized the opportunity to spark the next phase of transformation at Paul Quinn College, including adding a new basketball court, an auditorium, and the Trammell S. Crow Living and Learning Center.
“We had 18 months to reimagine what we could become, so we went to work,” he says. “We finished construction on the first new buildings in 50 years and renovated some part of every building on campus. We added three new majors and our first graduate program. We repaved our roads and added new primary schools to the campus. All the while, teaching 100 percent online, offering COVID testing, and providing free food to members of the community.”
As Paul Quinn continues to adapt and elevate its ability to prepare students, Sorrell’s inventive mind and GSE background will expand impact across generations. “I am proud to use my GSE experience to improve the lives of those who may never step foot on Penn’s campus,” Sorrell says. “But, maybe their kids will.”
