The Black Scholars Index

[HBCU Presidents] Michael J. Sorrell: Paul Quinn College

Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by Leshell Hatley in HBCU Presidents, Scholarly Celebrations

Michael J. Sorrell is the 34th President of Paul Quinn College. Under his leadership, the school has embarked upon an aggressive agenda that stresses academic excellence, accountability and a commitment to student services. His vision is to create a nationally renowned institution of higher education that produces Quinnites with enlightened minds, passionate spirits and the capacity to lead in the global marketplace.

Accomplishments thus far…

Among his accomplishments during his short tenure at the college are the following: revamping the admissions policy; establishing the Presidential Scholars Program; adopting a school-wide business casual dress code; overhauling the admissions, finance, academic affairs, athletic, maintenance and development offices, modernizing the institutions operations and the creation of partnerships with Home Depot, Balfour Beatty and Habitat for Humanity.

Before Paul Quinn (Career)

Michael came to PQC from his post as the co-founder and Chief Problem Solver of Victor Credo, LLC where he represented athletes, coaches and other sports related organizations.Michael has spent the majority of his career advising key decision-makers at all levels of sports, Fortune 500 companies and government entities.  His unique experiences include having served as the Director of Communications and Government Relations for Dallas 2012, Executive Director of the Global Games, and an assignment in the White House, as the Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the President’s Initiative on Race.

Education

Michael received his J.D. and M.A. in Public Policy from Duke University.  While in law school, he was one of the founding members of the Journal of Gender Law & Policy and served as the Vice President of the Duke Bar Association.  Michael was a recipient of the Sloan Foundation Graduate Fellowship, which funded his studies at both Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (as a graduate fellow) and Duke University.  He graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Government, where he was voted Secretary-Treasurer of his senior class and was a two-time captain of the men’s varsity basketball team.

Service

Michael sits on numerous boards and committees that emphasize improving the areas in which he lives.  He is a board member for Amegy Bank, All Tri, Habitat for Humanity, the North Texas Public Broadcasting Company, Inc. and KIPP Truth Academy.  He also served as a Co-Chair of the 2006 Bond Campaign for the City of Dallas.  Michael is an alum of the Texas Lyceum, a member of the Dallas Assembly, a British-American Project Fellow and a past Director of the Dallas- Ft. Worth Airport.

He also has a keen interest in politics having played key roles in the campaigns of Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk and Texas State Representative Rafael Anchia.   Michael served on the Texas Finance Committee for Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

Honors & Awards

Michael attended the 2008 Harvard Seminar for New Presidents and has been named the “Educator of the Year” by the Dallas Black Police Officers Association (2007), SouthFair CDC (2007), and the IMA of Greater Dallas (2008).  He has also been honored by the NAACP (2007) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dallas (2008).  He is a past recipient of the Dallas Urban League’s 2005 Torch for Community Leadership and the President’s Award from J.L. Turner for outstanding contributions to the Dallas legal community. Additionally, the Dallas Business Journal named him one of Dallas’ Forty Under 40.

This and more information about Paul Quinn College can be found on their website.

More Related posts:

1. [HBCU Presidents] Dr. Billy C. Hawkins: Talladega College
2. [HBCU Presidents] Dr. Beverly Wade Hogan: Tougaloo College
3. [HBCU Presidents] Dr. George C. Wright: Prairie View A&M University
4. [HBCU Presidents] Dr. James Lowe, Jr. – Bishop State Community College
5. [HBCU Presidents] Dr. David Holmes Swinton: Benedict College

Tags: 2008 Harvard Seminar for New Presidents, Dallas Black Police Officers Association, Dallas Business Journal named him one of Dallas’ Forty Under 40, Dallas Urban League’s 2005 Torch for Community Leadership, Duke University, Educator of the Year, founding members of the Journal of Gender Law & Policy, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (as a graduate fellow), he was voted Secretary-Treasurer of his senior class and was a two-time captain of the men’s varsity basketball team, JD and MA in Public Policy, Michael J. Sorrell, NAACP (2007) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dallas (2008), Oberlin College with a B.A. in Government, Paul Quinn College, President’s Award from J.L. Turner for outstanding contributions to the Dallas legal community, Sloan Foundation Graduate Fellowship, Vice President of the Duke Bar Association