After launching its second campus in Plano in 2018, Paul Quinn College, which calls itself the first Urban Work College in the U.S., is partnering with JPMorgan Chase & Co. to allow 22 students to work at the state’s largest bank.
Through Paul Quinn’s Urban Work College program, students can work at JPMorgan Chase while they are completing their academic requirements. In conjunction with JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways initiative, students can expect to gain first-hand experience in business, finance, and technology at a professional level.
Residential students are required to work 20 hours a week through the Urban Work College program, which has been in effect since 2015. The program is currently investing in 138 students by helping to build up their resumes and cut tuition costs via compensation.
“We have created a new version of higher education that guarantees its students a way out of poverty. We are thankful that JPMorgan Chase believes in our program and our students,” Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College, said in a statement.
The program works to provide a launchpad for the students, by adding to its already extensive list of partners, including FedEx, JCPenney, and Liberty Mutual. Through the addition of JPMorgan Chase, which says it’s the state’s largest bank, these students are part of the company’s ongoing efforts to hire 4,000 black students over the next five years. JPMorgan’s Advancing Black Pathways initiative hopes to make three significant gains in the lives of black students: education, careers, and wealth.
“We’re committed to expanding our partnerships with historically black colleges and universities and are being intentional in our work to cultivate black talent,” Sekou Kaalund, the head of the initiative, said in a statement. “As America’s largest bank, it’s our responsibility to make sure we’re hiring from the most diverse pool of candidates possible while creating pathways to long-term success for traditionally underrepresented groups.”
[Photo: Roberto Hernandez/Paul Quinn College]
Paul Quinn is working to connect its students to the DFW business scene through this program. The students employed at JPMorgan Chase will be able to participate in a wide range of divisions at the bank, including commercial, corporate, and investment banking.
Evelyna Rosario, a senior at Paul Quinn, shared that she was nervous before starting her first internship, but that has since changed.
“Thankfully, because of the work college program, I’ve been equipped with useful skills that allow me to thrive in a corporate setting,” Rosario said in a statement. “I have no doubts that I am now prepared for graduation in May and will be successful with any company that I work with.”
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“Dallas is a city that booms north of I-30. Unfortunately, if you live south of I-30 all too often you only hear rumors of that boom,” Dr. Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College, said during Thursday's opening. “JPMorgan Chase is actively being a bridge builder. It is a repairer of the breach.”The community branch plans to help Black and Latinx consumers open bank accounts and start businesses as part of Chase's $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity and provide economic opportunities to underserved communities.
