STUDENT PARTICIPATION

All residential, full-time students are required to participate in the Work Program regardless of their financial need. As part of their participation, students work between 300 and 400 hours per academic year in order to earn a Work Program Scholarship and to receive a cash stipend. Students are permitted to work a minimum of 10 hours per week and a maximum of 20 hours per week.

Participation in the Work Program looks different for each student depending on the student’s interest and our campus needs. One student may assist administratively in the Registrar’s Office, while another develops networking skills at our External Affairs office and yet another, reaches beyond the gates of Paul Quinn by participating in the Corporate Work Program. With more than 35 on-campus work assignments to choose from and 40+ corporate partners, our goal is to lead by example by returning our students to their families and communities, better and more well-rounded than when they first enrolled at Paul Quinn.

Each on-campus assignment is staffed with a supervisor who is committed to ensuring that students perform their jobs well. More importantly, supervisors are primarily charged with developing and mentoring students through uplifting instruction and modeling positive behaviors and attitudes.

STUDENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

All students are required to complete Career Skills for the Global Marketplace. This class offers a transformative journey where students learn critical skills that are aligned with the National Association of College and Employers (NACE) core competencies for career readiness. These competencies include: critical thinking teamwork and collaboration, career management, and global/intercultural fluency. In addition to completing the course, students are required to complete the Microsoft Office Suite (MOS) Certification Preparation Course. After completing this course and additional professional development opportunities sponsored by corporate and community partners, students will have an understanding of what it takes to be an indispensable corporate intern.

STUDENT EVALUATION

Interns are assigned to supervisors who act both as a manager and a professional mentor. Interns receive formal work performance evaluations at both the midpoint and at the end of each semester. Supervisors regularly provide students with constructive feedback throughout the school year and conduct formal performance evaluations at the end of each semester. Evaluations are based on the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Career Readiness Competencies. Students receive letter grades, “A” through “F,” based on the degree in which they fulfill the following expectations and skills:

• Attendance/ Punctuality
• Accountability
• Initiative/ Willingness to Learn
• Teamwork/ Attitude
• Prideful Workmanship/ Presentation
• Response to Supervision
• Workplace Culture, Policy, and Safety
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Critical Thinking

Final evaluation grades are reported on students’ work transcripts but do not factor into academic GPAs. Upon completion of the Career Skills Course, the MOS certification, a year of on-campus work experience, and more than 25 hours of professional development workshops, students are ready for the Corporate Work Program (CWP). The CWP is an opportunity for students to gain real-world work experience. Corporate Partners are a critical component of the Paul Quinn Urban Work College model, providing work experience and financial assistance for students. Because of this important role in students success, corporate partners are asked to ensure that interns who work for them are given meaningful, substantial work that challenges them daily.

CORPORATE WORK PROGRAM PARTNERS

After assessing a student’s level of work readiness, we identify placement opportunities for the student based on their major, professional skills, and personal career goals. The most qualified students are identified for the Corporate Work Program, the off-campus component of the Work Program. Corporate Work Program students work 16-20 hours per week, totaling 400 hours each academic year. Interns work throughout the Dallas-area in various industries, including non-profit organizations and government agencies. The College strives to find interns that match the qualifications and backgrounds described by corporate partners. While Paul Quinn selects the students who are eligible to participate in the program, corporate partners may interview and vet interns prior to hiring. All student interns are screened and are required to attend training before they are fully admitted into the Corporate Work Program and matched to corporate partners.

CORPORATE PARTNER INVESTMENT

Businesses interested in becoming corporate partners make an annual payment to hire a Work Program intern. A portion of the payment is awarded to the student as a Corporate Work Program Scholarship. This amount substantially offsets the cost of attendance for students. Remaining portions of the payment go toward cash stipends for students as well as transportation costs. Corporate partners enjoy the option of paying the fee up front or in installments throughout the year.

Director of the Work Program

Ashley V. Hamilton

E: ahamilton@pqc.edu

P: 214-379-5512

Office: 206A

Associate Director, On-Campus Work Program

Yalonda Ross-Davis

E: campusworkprogram@pqc.edu

P: 214-379-5554

Office: 206D

Open positions

Associate Director, Corporate Work Program - Business Development

Associate Director, Online Work Program

Associate Director, Work Program Training

Coordinator, Corporate Work Program

Coordinator, On-campus Work Program

Manager, Work Program Events & Logistics