Michael Sorrell
President
Paul Quinn College
Dr. Michael J. Sorrell is the longest-serving President in the 153-year history of Paul Quinn College. During his 18 years of leadership, Paul Quinn has become nationally celebrated for its ability to find innovative ways of addressing the needs of today’s students and their communities. Included among Paul Quinn’s numerous accomplishments during President Sorrell’s tenure are the following: improving graduation rates by more than 30%; reducing the average student loan debt by $30,0000; building the first new buildings on campus in more than 40 years; creating the Urban Work College Model; partnering with Dallas Independent School District andKIPP Charter Schools to open two secondary schools on the PQC campus; winning the HBCU of the Year, HBCU Student Government Association of the Year, and HBCU Business Program of the Year awards; creating the WE over Me Farm; and rewriting all institutional fundraising records. Dr. Sorrell was named by Fortune Magazine as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. He is the only three-time recipient of the HBCU Male President of the Year Award. Time Magazine called him one of the "31 People Changing the South".Michael received his J.D. and M.A. in Public Policy from Duke University and his Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Government and captained the men’s varsity basketball team twice.