| Norma Adams-Wade: College, business dig a partnership 02/07/2001 By / The Dallas Morning News 7-Eleven Inc. gave a new meaning to moving dirt while enhancing its partnership with Paul Quinn College.
Executives of 7-Eleven moved crates of dirt into the Women's Museum at Fair Park to carry out an improvised indoor groundbreaking last week. The symbolic dirt-turning represented new developments planned for Paul Quinn and its surrounding neighborhood.
The convenience-store chain has been working on several projects to support the historically black college in far southeast Dallas.
Paul Quinn supporters who attended the corporation's Black History Month kickoff last Wednesday at the Women's Museum received a surprise.
The corporate executives announced that 7-Eleven would open a store on property that Paul Quinn owns near the campus.
Opening a new store in the area is significant, Paul Quinn and 7-Eleven executives enthusiastically explained.
"We're excited about it," said Dr. Ray Reed, Paul Quinn's community development corporation director.
He said there is no convenience store in the area. He also said the store will serve as a training facility and that the college expects to reap millions of dollars from the 30-year lease.
In addition, 7-Eleven donated $10,000 to start a new Business Entrepreneurs program to train students to start their own businesses. This fall, students in the program may apply for the first "Oh Thank Heaven" $2,500 scholarship.
Speaker Dumas Siméus, founder and chief executive officer of Siméus Foods, told the Black History Month gathering that a 99.9 percent effort "is not enough" for people who aim for the top in business. Siméus Foods is Texas' largest black-owned business.
Miller Brewing Co. co-sponsored the Black History Month benefit for Paul Quinn and distributed Miller's 2001 Gallery of Greats calendar.
7-Eleven has been a friend to Paul Quinn throughout the year, college officials said.
The store chain and American Airlines paid for the illuminated sign that identifies the new Dallas Police Paul Quinn Community Center on campus.
A $250,000 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant funded the center. And grand-opening activities launched its operations on Jan. 26, Dr. Reed said. The 24-hour neighborhood office and rest spot for Dallas police is in the faculty residence building on campus.
Dallas City Council member James Fantroy, who represents the area, said corporate, neighborhood and police support were key in establishing the police center.
Homeowners in the area urged the city to open the facility to deter crime, Mr. Fantroy said. "Visibility of police has always reduced crime," he said. Student volunteers will get college credits for administrative duties at the center, he said.
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Norma Adams-Wade can be reached at P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265 or by fax at 214-977-8319.
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