UC Community & Opportunities Leads to Successful Career as an Artist: Roger Lee ’10

I always dreamed of having a successful career in the arts. I came to Ursinus in 2006 so that I could prepare for my career in a small, safe, and nurturing environment. I was blessed to work with some of the most inspiring faculty like Dr. Walter Greason in Africana Studies, Chris Aiken in Dance, and Ted Xaras in Art as well as staff like Paulette Patton in Multicultural Services and Brie Conley and Shawn Marie Brown in Alumni Relations, as well as students. In addition to pursuing a double major in dance and media and communication studies, I accepted leadership positions in the student organizations that would prepare me for a successful career. I held various leadership roles on campus including becoming the class vice president during my freshman year, the president of Escape Velocity during my sophomore year, and the features editor of The Grizzly during my junior year. And, finally, the founding president of UCTV Live! during my senior year. I graduated from Ursinus in 2010 with the education and experience that I needed to pursue a career in the arts.

Since graduating 12 years ago, I have become an internationally recognized artist, an award-nominated arts entrepreneur, a publicist, a published author, a TEDx speaker, an international magazine cover model, and an award-winning university executive and professor. I currently serve as the founding artistic director and choreographer of Roger Lee Dance Company (est. 2012), the owner and founder of Roger Lee Arts, LLC (est. 2012), and the director of innovation and entrepreneurship at Penn State Brandywine. The education and experience that I received from Ursinus helped prepare me for my multi-faceted career success. I also made friendships at Ursinus that will last a lifetime. I am smiling as I write this story and reflect on the many amazing memories that I made at Ursinus!