February 24, 2021 (DALLAS, TX) – The Dallas Mavericks announced a new partnership and $500,000 investment in Paul Quinn College, the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the DFW area and a model for urban higher education nationally, to develop the Mavs Major academic program. Over the next 18 months, the grant will fund the development of an innovative new Bachelor of Arts in Leadership, including diverse coursework in: Leadership, Innovation, Sports Management, Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Networking (LISTEN).
The partnership grew out of a “meeting of the minds” with Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College, Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall and Mavs owner Mark Cuban. As part of the Mavs Take ACTION! Plan, the Mavs and Paul Quinn look to create a new kind of leadership program to support a pipeline of talent for tomorrow’s leaders and career readiness for HBCU students.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Paul Quinn to develop something no one has seen before,” Mark Cuban said. “The program centers on innovation, having an entrepreneurial mindset to think in new and different ways, but also on networking, building relationships, and the connections we make to use our platforms to advance change.”
The Mavs and Paul Quinn launched the partnership to invest in tomorrow’s leaders and provide a new way of looking at leadership development. Each term is thematically unified and focused on preparing students for an inter-disciplinary challenge that requires teamwork, innovation and digital skills to successfully complete. Case studies and real work experience will contribute to a holistic approach to develop writing, speaking, critical thinking and technology skills, but also how to manage and lead change.
“This is the time, the ‘fierce urgency of now’ to provide the education and employment support our students need,” Mavs CEO Cynt Marshall said. “It’s not just about leveling the current playing field to ensure equity in education. Our investment prepares students to be the leaders of tomorrow.”
The coursework will be designed to provide the foundation for success in a wide range of industries, but also provide tools on how to effect social change through leadership. The investment, that is part of the Mavs Take ACTION! Plan, is to address racial inequities, promote social justice and drive sustainable change. Under the “College to Career” umbrella, the Mavs look to support a pipeline of talent and career readiness for Paul Quinn students.
“The Mavs Major is such an important vision,” President Sorrell said. “It once again shows the brilliance of Mark and Cynt. They are a team with a special ability to understand exactly what is needed and how to meet that need. The Quinnite Nation is proud to be MFFL and proud to be a partner with such an innovative franchise. It’s one thing to give them the tools they need to succeed in the world today, but also how can they be prepared to change the world for tomorrow. No man is an island, and how we unite and work together is a learned skill. We are grateful to the Mavericks for stepping up and joining us in this work.”
For more information on the Mavs Take ACTION! Plan, visit mavs.com/mavstakeaction.
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About Paul Quinn College
Paul Quinn College is a private, faith-based, four-year, liberal arts-inspired college that was founded on April 4, 1872, by a group of African Methodist Episcopal Church preachers in Austin, Texas. The school’s original purpose was to educate freed slaves and their offspring. Today, we proudly educate students of all races and socio-economic classes under the banner of our institutional ethos, WE over Me. Our mission is to provide a quality, faith-based education that addresses the academic, social, and Christian development of students. Under President Sorrell’s leadership, Paul Quinn has become one of the most innovative and respected small colleges in the nation and now serves as a model for urban higher education. Fortune magazine recognized President Sorrell’s work and the College’s transformation by naming him one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. President Sorrell is also a three-time award winner of HBCU Male President of the Year by HBCU Digest and was named by Time magazine as one of the “31 People Changing the South.”
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