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January 2008
Dear Quinnites:
Throughout our first semester together many of
you have heard me use the term “Quinnites”. On
a number of occasions people have asked me to
explain exactly what makes one a “Quinnite”.
Each time, I did my best to provide a definition
that outlined everything that I thought
represented the best of those individuals who
affiliated themselves with our institution.
However, the Christmas break gave me an
excellent opportunity to reflect upon the
meaning of this standard. |
I
knew the definition needed to reflect our keen sense and
appreciation of history and the role of leadership. It also
had to speak to our acknowledgement of the importance of
character and faith. Most importantly, any definition of a
Quinnite must communicate our dedication to living a life
that matters. That is, to become a part of something larger
than ourselves and leave places better than we found them.
It is my hope that as we enter 2008, each of you will fully
understand how special you are and what a unique moment in
time this is for both you and our beloved Paul Quinn
College. Now is not the time to squander your talents and
gifts. Do not dishonor your legacy by taking shortcuts or
giving less than a maximum effort. Walk tall and stand
straight. Let your every action reflect the knowledge of
who you are and whose you are. Remember the words below
and let them be your guiding light. Never forget what it
means when you say:
I Am A Quinnite
When someone says to you “I am a Quinnite”, that person is
doing more than informing you that they attend, work for or
graduated from Paul Quinn College. They are telling you
that they are the personification of W. E. B. DuBois’
“Talented Tenth”. They are expressing to you that as a
Quinnite they wear the mantle of “race men and women”
proudly. Such men and women embrace the legacies of
Malcolm, Martin, Mandela, Che, and Sun Tzu; knowing that the
only constant in life is change, but it is the change agents
who write history. Quinnites will be the change agents
whose voices tell the stories of their eras.
Quinnites accept that in their lifetime, others will
disappoint them and fail to live up to the standards that
they, as members of this special clan, set. These men and
women know that many who are their color will not be their
kind and that many of their kind, will not be their color.
It is for this very reason that in the world of purple and
gold, production triumphs over protocol. These dreamers
understand that the journey to greatness will be filled with
difficult decisions, painful choices, and moments of
self-doubt - everyone will not make the trip. However, they
also know that this is the route they have selected. They
have chosen to be stronger. They have decided to work
harder. They have answered the call of leadership. Because
at the end of the day, they are Quinnites and for them there
was no other choice.
Welcome to our golden age. Welcome to greatness, one step
at a time. I look forward to seeing you this semester.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Sorrell, J.D.
President
Paul Quinn College
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