Print Paul Quinn College President Michael J. Sorrell has been a leading advocate in higher education for students returning to in-person learning only when it is safe to do so. So while it was no surprise when he announced that our school’s classes would continue remotely because of COVID concerns, our students, as well as those at other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), suddenly faced obstacles that students learning remotely at many other schools may not have encountered. Because 75% of Paul Quinn students are first-generation (even higher than the 60% first-gen rate at HBCUs nationally), one such hurdle came from the students’ families, who often expected the students to resume the responsibilities they had before leaving for college. That included taking jobs to help with the family’s financial needs (about 80% of our students qualify for Pell grants) or caring for an elderly grandparent or a younger sibling. Not surprisingly, these intergenerational responsibilities can be a huge distraction from remaining focused on schoolwork. Dr. Stacia’ Alexander That led to a second challenge – students’ mental health – and specifically, anxiety and loneliness. As it is, more than 70% of Paul Quinn students report experiencing some type of […]

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