Southwest Airlines Sponsors Paul Quinn College’s Participation in WBENC’s Women of Color Incubator Program, Inspiring the Next Generation of Female Entrepreneurs
Paul Quinn College, the creator of the Urban Work College model and the only minority-serving, federally recognized work college in America, today announced Southwest Airlines(R) as its sponsor and participation in the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for the fall 2024 semester. This initiative empowers women of color from participating Historically Black Colleges and Universities with the tools, resources, and networks needed to thrive in the business world.
“As the College’s official airline, Southwest Airlines is proud to sponsor Paul Quinn College in the WBENC Women of Color Incubator program,” said Laura Nieto, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility for Southwest Airlines. “This inaugural partnership and groundbreaking program reflect our commitment to investing in the next generation of female entrepreneurs, bringing future leaders together while empowering them with the skills they need to achieve their dreams and create a lasting impact that stretches far beyond the classroom.”
The WBENC Women of Color Incubator is a premier program for aspiring entrepreneurs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This incubator provides the next generation of entrepreneurs with the resources, community, and support they need to strengthen their ideas and grow their early-stage ventures. Through workshops, mentorship sessions, and networking opportunities, current Paul Quinn students and recent alums will gain invaluable insights into the business landscape and develop strategies to succeed as entrepreneurs. The Incubator will culminate with a Pitch Competition on October 29 on Paul Quinn’s campus. Participants will compete for a chance to win up to $9,000 in seed capital and the opportunity to receive an all-expenses paid trip to attend the 2025 WBENC National Conference in New Orleans, LA. Upon completion, graduates will continue engaging with WBENC via development programs, including the Collegiate Accelerator, NextGen, and Women of Color.
“We are honored to be selected for the WBENC Women of Color Incubator program and grateful to Southwest Airlines for their generous support. This opportunity aligns perfectly with our goal to provide our students with transformative educational experiences that support them in becoming entrepreneurial in their thoughts and actions. Our students are excited, and we know that they will greatly benefit from the resources and mentorship provided by this program,” said Dr. Michael J. Sorrell of President Paul Quinn College.
Following a historic and anonymous $20 million donation, Paul Quinn College is using funds to support student entrepreneur programs and business-centric majors at the College, including its Every Quinnite is an Entrepreneur Program, its Banking and Finance Program, and its Fundraising & Philanthropy Program.
The collaboration between Southwest Airlines, WBENC, and Paul Quinn College underscores a shared commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the business community. By empowering women of color through education and entrepreneurship, this initiative is paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future.
“The Women of Color Incubator ” is a vital initiative that addresses the unique challenges women of color face in the business world. We are delighted to have Southwest Airlines sponsor Paul Quinn College, a leader in fostering academic excellence and social responsibility. This collaboration will undoubtedly create lasting opportunities for these remarkable women to excel,” said Audrey Awasom, WBENC senior manager and Women of Color program lead.
In fall 2022, Southwest Airlines announced its partnership with Paul Quinn to become the College’s official airline and a member of the school’s Corporate Work Program. It includes dedicated, paid internships specifically for students at the College and ongoing educational and workforce development opportunities. Throughout the partnership, Southwest Airlines has continued to provide roundtrip flights to the College for the travel needs of students, athletes, and faculty.
ABOUT PAUL QUINN COLLEGE
Paul Quinn College is a private, faith-based, four-year, liberal arts-inspired college founded in 1872 by a group of African Methodist Episcopal Church preachers in Austin, Texas. The school’s original purpose was to educate freed slaves and their offspring. Today, Paul Quinn proudly educates students of all races and socio-economic classes under the banner of its institutional ethos, WE over Me. It is the first Urban Work College and the only minority-serving, federally-recognized work college in America. Paul Quinn is viewed as one of the most innovative colleges in America, one that continuously expands the boundaries of higher education and community advocacy in its quest to eradicate intergenerational poverty. For more information, visit www.paulquinn.edu.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world’s most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 117 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline1. Based in Dallas and famous for its employee-first corporate culture, Southwest maintains an unprecedented record of no involuntary furloughs or layoffs. By empowering its more than 74,0002 People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among more than 137 million Customers carried in 2023. That formula for success brought industry-leading prosperity and 47 consecutive years of profitability for Southwest Shareholders (NYSE: LUV).3 Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world, including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship. As the airline with Heart, Southwest has set a goal to work toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 20504. Southwest has also set near-term targets and a three-pillar strategy to achieve its environmental goals. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/planet.
1Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey since Q1 2021
2Fulltime-equivalent active Employees
31973-2019 annual profitability
4Our net zero by 2050 goal includes Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 Category 3 emissions only and excludes any emissions associated with non-fuel products and services, such as inflight service items.
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About WBENC
WBENC is one of the nation’s leading advocates for women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, supported by more than 550 Corporate Members. Throughout the year, WBENC provides professional development, business development, and outreach opportunities for more than 20,000 WBENC-certified women-owned businesses, Corporate and Government Members, and the national WBENC network. As the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled, and operated by women in the United States, WBENC partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs) to provide its world-clacertification standard to women-owned businesses throughout the country. Learn more at www.wbenc.org.
