Dr. Norris Dorsey
With over twenty years of experience as an Educator, Dr. Norris Rashe Dorsey is the embodiment of what it means to operate in your gifts. A University of La Verne Leo through and through, Dr. Dorsey has received his Bachelor of Science Degree with an emphasis in Organizational Management, his Master of Business Administration Degree with a Concentration in Information Technology, and his Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership. But more important than his achievements, is the journey that brought him here.
Our Story
As a student athlete, his innate leadership skills were honed and led to his eventual transition into Intercollegiate Sports as Head Basketball Coach for the Cal Lutheran Summer League Team (1999-2004). It dawned on him that coaching was simply teaching, on the court, so in 2001 he transitioned into the classroom and first taught Financial Planning and Labor Relations. Immediately, he felt at home in the classroom and became a resource for the Los Angeles Community College System, teaching all things Business Related. He also worked for the California State University System, at their Northridge campus, and for various University of Phoenix locations. As he continued to teach these varied business courses, one question would inevitably keep coming up, “How do you start a business?” So, in 2014, as a case study and real-time example of how to start a business, Dr. Dorsey decided to start the Norris Dorsey Academy of Entrepreneurs, where he would teach his students how to start their business as they were taking their business courses.
Since its inception, the Dorsey Academy of Entrepreneurs has mentored hundreds of students and helped them to navigate their entrepreneurial journeys. Recently, Dorsey Academy has partnered with various community organizations like: the Los Angeles Urban League, participating as a Keynote Speaker for their African American High School Graduation Celebration; My Friend’s House, donating time and money to help feed the homeless of Los Angeles’ Skid Row; Music Changing Lives, offering Financial Literacy Workshops for residents of San Bernardino and surrounding communities; The Big House, a community hub and small business incubator located in Los Angeles;
IMFAST a local non-profit that implements the SpeedSac Cross Training System to advocate for healthy lifestyles for local youth; the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, where he spoke on mental health awareness and resource availability. Not only has Dorsey Academy partnered with local organizations, but they were also one of the California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) program recipients in 2019.
Dr. Norris Dorsey is also a published author with the following credits to his name: The Art of Inclusion: Success Stories of African Americans in the Nonprofit Sector (2005); Financial Accounting Lecture Notes Workbook (2007); and The War on Legal Cannabis: Just Say Yes (2019). He is planning to release more books in the near future.
Dr. Dorsey believes that it is his gift to help others to uncover their natural talents, gifts, and abilities. Once they have discovered their unique purpose, each person is obligated to use what makes them special to make the world a better place. As a mentor, Dr. Dorsey has been helping youth and young adults to find their passion and to make an impact, for decades. His passion is helping, and seeing others succeed is what brings him joy.