Scholarships

Goals

 

The cornerstone of the Foundation’s education strategy is the Lee Scholarship Program, which ensures students are well positioned to enter the workforce upon graduation with minimum debt. Our scholars are entrepreneurial and embrace innovation. They understand the importance of public service and are leaders in and out of the classroom.

 

The Foundation’s largest scholarship program supports students at institutions of higher learning who are pursuing careers in engineering and other technical fields. As the cost of post-secondary education has increased so has the financial burden on students from middle income households. To address this critical gap in support, the Foundation’s scholarships target these students. 

 

Through its scholarship program, the Foundation also supports students pursuing careers in mental health. Addressing the critical shortage of mental health professionals is a top priority for the Foundation.

  

Listen to Patrick Lee discuss his experience at St. Louis University and the important role education plays in career success.

 

Distinguished Lee Scholars

Once a year, a lifetime of difference

The Distinguished Lee Scholar Award is given to an exceptional Lee Scholar who has successfully integrated the Foundation's values of integrity, leadership and service into their personal and academic endeavors. The Distinguished Lee Scholar is a leader in and out of the classroom, helps foster the community of Lee Scholars, and finds meaningful ways to give back to others. To be eligible for the honor, a student must be a current Lee Scholar entering his/her final year of post-secondary study.

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Meet Our Scholars

Enrique Cardoso-Najera, Lee Scholar

For Lee Scholar Enrique Cardoso-Najera, the dream of becoming a professional engineer blossomed while earning an associate degree at SUNY Orange.
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Meet Our Scholars

Kay Wilkoff, Lee Scholar

Kay enrolled in MCC’s Optical Systems Technology program in the fall of 2021, with the drive to pursue a career in STEM and to help support her growing family.
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Meet Our Scholars

Anthony Burroughs, Lee Scholar

It’s hard to imagine a student more determined than Anthony.
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Meet Our Scholars

Bethany Rodgers, Lee Scholar

Bethany, a self-described nontraditional student earned her A.A.S. degree in SUNY Erie’s occupational therapy assistant program in 2020. She returned to school after taking time at home to raise her two young daughters.
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Meet Our Scholars

Karla Shaw, Lee Scholar

Karla, who was already the mother of a toddler, had a second child during her first semester of graduate school. Despite juggling motherhood and a part-time job, Karla graduated with a master’s degree in nursing, marking the culmination of a six-year journey toward a career as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
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Meet Our Scholars

Parry Draper, Lee Scholar

In 2014, Parry earned a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from St. Louis University and “will be forever indebted and forever grateful to Patrick Lee for that.”
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Meet Our Scholars

Ashley Kosak, Lee Scholar

“Astronomical!” That was how Ashley described the impact of the Lee scholarship on her life.
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Our Partners

 

At the Lee Foundation, we are dedicated to advancing educational opportunities for promising students. Through our institutional partners, we support post-secondary scholarships in the fields of engineering and technology as well as mental health. 

 

Each year we award 100 scholarships to students in engineering and other technical fields. Scholars attend one of the following colleges or universities:

 

Alfred State College of Technology

Boston University

Clarkson

Erie Community College 

Monroe Community College

Niagara County Community College

Northeastern University

Onondaga Community College 

Rochester Institute of Technology

RPI

Saint Louis University 

Syracuse University

University of Rochester 

Wentworth Institute of Technology

 

We also partner with the following universities to support 30 scholarships for students pursuing mental health degrees:

 

Canisius University (clinical mental health counseling)

Daemen University (master in social work)

Niagara University (clinical mental health counseling)

University at Buffalo - Department of Psychiatry (psychology doctoral internship program)

University at Buffalo - Medical School (psychiatry specialty)

University of Rochester School of Nursing (family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners)

 

 

Patrick Lee also supports scholarships at Canisius University and the Horatio Alger Association

 

Note- The partner schools are responsible for selecting the scholarship recipients.