Summer Bridge is our signature six-week program during which students live in on-campus housing, are provided a full meal plan, and take three college courses to help ease their transition into college life. New students receive support and resources necessary to successfully navigate college, both inside and outside the classroom. Our program is comprised of thoughtfully curated courses, workshops, and social events all geared towards encouraging academic success, professional development, and community building between students, faculty, and staff. Summer Bridge is required for all new incoming students that wish to enroll as in-person students.
Summer Bridge session dates for the incoming Fall 2025 class will be announced by January 2025.
Taught by President Michael J. Sorrell, the goal of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of (1) the mission of Paul Quinn College and (2) how to define and apply servant leadership to one’s everyday life. This goal will be achieved through the critical examination of servant leadership models via the lenses of literature, personal experiences, history, doctrine and the institutional principles of Paul Quinn College.
We will introduce you to entrepreneurship and the new venture creation process. Your learning will be supported by seminars, live case studies, guest speakers, and practical exercises. This class will help you understand your own enterprise skills and business models with a distinct focus on the social impact of entrepreneurship.
Part of the foundation for your HBCU experience will be rooted in our detailed examination of slavery and the transformation of the Atlantic World before 1830. We will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to explore the major course material themes such as enslavement around the Atlantic; agency, resistance, and rebellion against slavery, and more! This course provides you with historical knowledge, develops your historical research methods, and helps you cultivate a historical perspective that is central to active citizenship.
When you are admitted to the College, you will receive a link to the Commitment Form. This Commitment Form will serve as your Summer Bridge registration so there is no need to submit any additional information or forms. If things have changed since you submitted your Commitment Form, please notify the Office of Enrollment Management as soon as possible via email at admissions@pqc.edu
Official Summer Bridge dates during the 2025 summer period for the incoming Fall 2025 class are TBD and will be announced by January 2025. Note that Summer Bridge classes begin virtually one week prior to campus move-in. After move-in, all Summer Bridge courses and workshops will be hosted in Paul Quinn facilities with some chaperoned social events being hosted off-campus in the City of Dallas.
In-Person, On-Campus, & Commuter Students:Â If you intend to enroll at Paul Quinn College as an in-person student with on-campus housing, you are required to attend the six week in-person Summer Bridge session.
Online and Guild Students:Â If you intend to enroll at Paul Quinn College as a 100% online student, you will be required to participate in a brief online orientation session prior to the beginning of the Fall semester. You will not be required to attend Summer Bridge. Please note that 100% online students are not able to access on-campus, in-person activities. If you are 100% online and want to access campus, you will need to submit vaccination records.
TASFA students are required to attend Summer Bridge if they intend to enroll as in-person students. If you are a TASFA student, please indicate your status on the Commitment Form.
Incoming students whose graduation date falls after the beginning of Summer Bridge will be approved for a late start on a case-by-case basis. Incoming students should indicate their graduation date on the Commitment Form so we can make late arrival arrangements for them.
Students with summer jobs or summer travel plans will need to attend Summer Bridge if they want to live on campus and attend in-person courses. If a student cannot adjust their work and travel plans, they will need to attend school virtually (100% online) and will not be allowed to reside in on-campus housing, attend in-person courses, or participate in the Work Program during the academic year.
You must apply for Financial Aid today! Complete your FAFSA for 2025-2026 and include Paul Quinn College (School Code: 003602). With this information we can generate your financial aid package.
Cost will vary based on a student’s specific financial aid package.
For example, students who were eligible for the full 2024-25 Federal Pell Grant attended Summer Bridge for only $763 out-of-pocket! This included housing, meal plan, and tuition costs for those residing on campus. Students who were not eligible for the full 2024-25 Federal Pell Grant may have had a maximum out of pocket expense of approximately $3,536. Some of the payment options include a payment plan and student loans. Health insurance is required during the summer. If you do not have your own, you will be required to sign up for our college insurance plan at an additional cost. If you have your own, you will be required to submit proof.
On-campus housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage students to submit their Commitment Form as early as possible to secure priority housing placements. On-campus housing spaces are limited and will be designated according to priority status. The following students have priority status for on-campus housing assignments:
Students may choose to live off-campus at home or in their own independent housing during Summer Bridge and the school year. Please keep in mind that students who live off-campus are expected to attend classes in-person and to engage in in-person, on-campus activities. Commuting students may park on campus for free!
Students moving into College housing for Summer Bridge should plan to bring essentials such as clothing, toiletries, bed linens, etc. Download our Summer Bridge housing packing list here.
Students traveling alone or from out-of-state are welcome to ship items directly to the College beginning the Tuesday prior to Summer Bridge move-in day. Packages will be available for pick-up on move-in day. Packages should be addressed as follows:
New Student: First Name & Last Name
Paul Quinn College
3837 Simpson Stuart Road
Dallas, Texas 75241
All new students, including transfer students, coming to Summer Bridge with plans of living on-campus and attending in-person must submit a copy of their Meningitis vaccination record.
The State of Texas requires evidence of an initial bacterial meningitis vaccination (meningococcal meningitis vaccine) dose or booster within the last five (5) years and at least ten (10) days prior to the first day of the semester session in which the student initially enrolls.Â
Documentation of receiving the Meningitis Vaccination at least ten (10) days prior to Summer Bridge move-in day is required, without it, access to campus will be denied.
All vaccination records must be uploaded via the online Canvas Portal. Access to the Canvas Portal is granted to committed students following receipt of their Commitment Form.
As a Work College, Paul Quinn has adopted a business casual dress code. Our dress code is in affect for the duration of the Summer Bridge program with the exception of non-business hours, casual local outings, and weekends. For more information, download the Dress Code Guide here.
Coach Keldrick McKinney is a native of Dallas, Texas who enters his third year as the Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach at Paul Quinn College. After serving one year as Associate Head Coach under the leadership of Coach Maurice West; Coach McKinney was given the opportunity by Paul Quinn’s legendary Athletic Director James “Zip” Summers.
The program has quickly grown from 3 to now 25 student athletes under the leadership of Coach McKinney. In the second year of competing at the Red River Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships, the Paul Quinn Tigers placed two athletes in the Top 10.
Coach McKinney received his bachelor’s in Kinesiology from Prairie View A&M University. After graduation he then opened a training facility where he trained hundreds of athletes. This provided the background and experience for Coach to thrive at the next level. Coach McKinney’s student-athletes not only excel on the track but also in the classroom as well. Coach McKinney’s team maintains over a 3.0 gpa.
Coach Michael Delgado has been coaching at the collegiate level since 2009. He began his coaching career at Howard Payne University, shortly after starting his time there as a collegiate soccer player. He began as a student coach and after graduating with a degree in Spanish Education, became an assistant.
In 2015, Coach Delgado moved back to Dallas to form the Men’s and Women’s Soccer program at Paul Quinn College as the assistant coach and became the head coach of the Women’s team in 2017. From 2015-2021 he was also the Men’s assistant coach.
In 2021, Coach Delgado took over the Men’s program and led the team as the #3 seed (highest in school history) to the USCAA National Championship for the 3rd year in a row, with a 3rd place finish.
Coach Delgado is a Dallas native and graduated from Mesquite Poteet High School as a district MVP & All-State. He holds his Master’s degree from Concordia University in Coaching & Athletic Administration. He resides in the campus neighborhood of Highland Hills and lives daily by his motto, #AlwaysRefuse2Lose.
Brandon Espinosa starts his fourth season as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Paul Quinn College.
Last season, Coach Espinosa and the Tigers had a historic 19 game turnaround from the previous year going from 7-25 to 26-2 (12-2 RRAC). Coach Espinosa led the 2021-2022 Tigers to the school’s first USCAA Men’s Division I National Championship and the 3rd overall national championship in school history. The Tigers also won the Red River Athletic Conference West (RRAC) regular season title for the first time since joining the conference in 1998. The Tigers finished the 2021-2022 season with the most RRAC wins and highest winning percentage in a season in program history.
The Tigers were the No. 1 seed at USCAA Nationals and had a dominant showing with 3 double digits wins. The championship game featured seven ties and ten lead changes. After trailing by four at half, 38-34, Bryant & Stratton led 67-65 with 6:33 left in the game. Henry Hampton hit a jumper a minute later to give Paul Quinn the lead to highlight a 10-0 run to seal the victory for the Tigers. Ja’Mare Redus led PQC with 18 points while Hampton finished with 17. Spencer McElway added 12, Ja’Mere Redus came off the bench and scored 11, and Steven Tynes chipped in seven points and nine assists.
While the team’s collective efforts were the deciding factor in their success, several outstanding individuals led them both on and off the court. Coach Brandon Espinosa was recognized as the USCAA National Coach of the Year. In addition, senior forward Spencer McElway was selected as a USCAA 1st Team All American, USCAA All Tournament Team and RRAC 2nd Team All Conference. Sophomore forward Trevoin Shaw was voted USCAA 1st Team All American, USCAA All Tournament Team and RRAC 1st Team All Conference. Sophomore guard Ja’mare Redus received USCAA Tournament MVP as well as USCAA 2nd Team All American Honors. Sophomore guard Torron Mingo Jr. earned the USCAA Academic All American award. Junior guard Caleb Thompson received the RRAC Champions of Character award.
During his first season with Paul Quinn, Espinosa led the Tigers to the most conference victories since 2012-2013. In addition, PQC had two players receive RRAC All Conference honors; Spencer McElway was 1st Team All RRAC and Mateo Escheik received 2nd Team All RRAC honors. McElway also joined the schools 1000-point club.
Espinosa also serves as the Director of EYBL and 17U Head Coach for Drive Nation which was founded by former NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal. This summer Drive Nation qualified for the 2021 Nike Peach Jam and currently has the most ESPN Top 100 ranked players in the country.
Espinosa has held coaching positions at Bossier Parish Community College, Ranger College and with the Dallas Mavericks NBA G-League affiliate, Texas Legends.
Espinosa is a native of Houston, Texas. He played collegiately for Dallas Christian College, where in 2010 they won the ACCA National Championship. Espinosa earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2011.
Paul Quinn did not compete in 2020-2021 due to Covid-19.
Camille Smith is in her first season at Paul Quinn College.
Smith was hired in early March and her most recent position was as an Assistant Coach for the WNBA Dallas Wings.
Prior to coaching, Smith played professionally for 10 seasons internationally and 12 seasons in the WNBA before retiring in 2019. Smith was drafted to the San Antonio Silver Stars in the 2007 WNBA Draft as the 17th Overall pick. Amid the start of the 2008 WNBA season, Smith was selected in the Atlanta Dream dispersal draft before being traded to the Seattle Storm where Smith played and won a championship in 2010! In 2015 Smith was traded to the Connecticut Sun, then to the Phoenix Mercury in 2017, where she finished her career.
Internationally, Smith played on multiple teams in Israel (2015 Israel League Champion) and China. She also played in Turkey, Limassol, Cyrpus, Ragusa, Sicily (2016 Cup Champion), Lebanon (2017 Arab Cup Champion), Montpelier, France, and Venice, Italy (2018 Euro Cup runner-up).
As a former student-athlete at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Camille graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in interpersonal communications. A four-time All-ACC selection, she finished her college career with over 1,700 points, 800 rebounds, 250 assists, and 250 steals. As a senior, Camille averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game along with 99 steals to help the Tar Heels reach the Final Four. Camille is ranked among the top 20 all-time scorers at UNC and was named Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press following her junior year. She averaged 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds as a junior. As a sophomore, Camille averaged 13.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in the ACC tournament, including a 23-point game against Duke in the finals. In 2004, she was named ACC Rookie of the Year and was the only freshman selected as a finalist for Kodak All-American honor. Camille became the first Tar Heel to be named first-team All-ACC as a freshman.
In high school, Camille was named Associated Press NC Player of the Year and NC Miss Basketball (Class 3A; 2003). Camille was also awarded State Player of the Year by the Charlotte Observer and NC Gatorade Player of the Year (2002 and 2003). In 2001, Camille shared AP Player of the Year honors at Carver High School and helped her team finish with a 30-0 record and State Championship. Camille is a three-time All-State Selection and averaged 20.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game during her senior year. She holds the record of 2,168 career points during her high school career, was a McDonald’s High School All-American, and played in the 2002 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. Camille was also named Piedmont Triad All-Conference, four years in a row, and Piedmont Triad Conference Player of the Year, three years in a row.
Camille Smith & her husband Jeremis Smith are happily married & live in the Historical Stop 6 Community.
Coach Patrick Gonzalez is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. He has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with emphasis in Criminal Justice from Texas Wesleyan University. He also has a M.Ed. in Sports Administration from Concordia University in Austin, Texas. He has coached volleyball for over thirteen years. He has coached on the high school, club, and collegiate level.
He currently coaches for 360 Volleyball Club in Arlington, Texas. Coach Gonzalez brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Paul Quinn College volleyball program. He served as the women’s assistant volleyball coach at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee for five seasons. While at Fisk University, Coach Gonzalez served as an Admissions Counselor and Director of International Student Services in the Office of Student Engagement. He has also worked at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and served as the Associate Director of Minority Outreach in the Office of Admissions. He most recently was selected into the Big XII Reach & Teach Volleyball Diversity Program.