Lee reshapes SC State’s fundraising efforts as vice president for institutional advancement
From being homeless to raising over $100 million for higher education, Dr. John Michael Lee Jr. has dedicated his career to supporting students.
Lee, a certified fundraising executive with over 17 years of experience in higher education and philanthropy, has been instrumental in reshaping SC State's advancement efforts.
“My passion for fundraising for SC State comes from my background as a first-generation college student,” Lee said. “I want to ensure that SC State students, faculty, staff, and alumni have the resources they need to transform lives. I fully support President Alexander Conyers’ vision of growth, transformation, and elevating excellence at this great institution."
Since his appointment, Lee has led the restructuring of SC State’s advancement efforts, introducing new strategies for donor engagement and operational efficiency. He also leads the implementation of the first comprehensive capital campaign in the university’s history, “The Power of SC State: A Capital Campaign to Elevate Excellence,” aimed at driving transformational growth across all areas of SC State.
Over the past year, under Lee's leadership, the advancement team has engaged in several key initiatives, including the “All-In Campaign,” a university-wide effort that significantly boosted donor engagement, and the continued success of SC State’s annual Alumni Weekend, during which donations have exceeded $1 million for three consecutive years.
Institutional Advancement also collaborated with the SC State University National Alumni Association on the “Ride with SC State’ Bus Campaign,” which surpassed its fundraising goal, further strengthening the university’s connections with its alumni and supporters.
Lee also focused on improving operational efficiency by implementing new technologies and processes within the Division of Institutional Advancement. These innovations have helped enhance the donor experience and expand SC State’s donor base, positioning the university for continued success as part of “The Power of SC State” capital campaign.
To contribute to “The Power of SC State: A Capital Campaign to Elevate Excellence,” visit PowerOfSCState.com or contact the SC State Office of Institutional Advancement at (803) 516-4982.
About Dr. John Michael Lee Jr.
Lee’s journey to SC State is a story of triumph over adversity. His childhood was unstable because of his mother’s addiction to drugs, so he often moved back and forth between living with his mother, grandmother, aunts and other relatives.
In high school, he relied upon the support of his teachers to overcome obstacles. Lee was homeless in his sophomore year at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta, Georgia, because his mother lost her apartment. His teachers rallied behind him and found him a place to stay, food to eat and clothes to wear.
“With all the things that were going in my life, I never thought that I would attend college,” he said, naming several people who came to his aid and encouraged him to pursue higher education. “The glory is not mine alone but belongs to God. It belongs to all the people who helped me out along the way.”
Although he received several scholarships and was accepted to several universities, he was still not planning on going.
The summer after graduating from high school, he participated in the NAACP Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics where he won a gold medal for his research on the epicyclic gearing system. At that event, Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumna Brenda Scott introduced herself and asked him whether he planned to attend her alma mater. He said no, explaining that he had no way to get there.
“You are going to school even if I have to take you there myself,” Scott told him. She kept her word, as she rented a car, packed up what little he owned, drove him to school, and helped him to secure housing, financial aid and food.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering at FAMU, Lee completed a master’s in public administration from Georgia State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the Steinhardt School of Culture Education and Human Development at New York University.
Why did he change his focus from engineering to public and higher education administration?
“Because I realized that I wanted to do something where I felt like I was making a difference in society,” he said. “I believe I have been sent to the South Carolina State University on a divine appointment from God, and I enjoy serving this great institution.”
Dr. Lee has raised over $100 Million in his career and has managed foundations with assets over $200 million. He specializes in fundraising, grant development and management, enrollment management, outreach and engagement, public policy development and implementation, P-16 education systems and issues, college access and success, and college and career readiness.
Before joining SC State, Lee served as vice president for development, information technology, and policy analysis at the Southern Regional Education Board, where he secured over $40 million in funding. At Elizabeth City State University, Lee doubled fundraising and increased alumni giving by 32%.
Lee also served as the assistant vice president for alumni affairs and development at FAMU. Dr. Lee was a part of the University Advancement/FAMU Foundation Senior Leadership team charged with managing, stewarding, and growing a $127 million endowment.
Prior to returning to FAMU, he served as the vice president of the Office for Access and Success at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). There, he implemented a national agenda to improve college readiness, access, and outcomes for students and helped to transform member institutions.
Lee is also an accomplished researcher and scholar. He led the development of several ground-breaking reports including “Land-grant but Unequal: State One-To-One Match Funding For 1890 Land-Grant Universities” (2013), “The College Completion Agenda (2010-2012), the “Latino Edition of the College Completion Agenda” (2011), “The Educational Experience Facing Young Men of Color” (2011), and the “Annual Survey of School Counselors” (2011).
He also wrote several peer-reviewed journal articles, policy reports, a book, numerous articles, and paper presentations at various conferences on topics ranging from diverse student populations to student access and success. Some examples of peer-reviewed articles include “Investigating Black Students’ Disinclination to Consider and Attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities” (2010) and the “United States v. Fordice: Mississippi Higher Education without Public Historically Black Colleges and Universities” (2010). John is the author of the book American Higher Education without Public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2011).
Additionally, he wrote chapters in books including, “Moving Beyond Racial and Ethnic Diversity at HBCUs” in R.T. Palmer, R. Shorette and M. Gasman (Eds.), Exploring Diversity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Implications for Policy and Practice (2014), “Educational Experiences of Young Men of Color” in J. A. Bank’s (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Diversity in Education (2012), and “African American Graduate Education at HBCUs: Trends, Experiences and Outcomes” in R. T. Palmer, A. Hilton and T. Fountaine’s (Eds.), Inside the Experiences of Black Students in Graduate and Professional Education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) (2012).
Lee is a member of several professional associations including the Council for Advancement and Support of Higher Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Educational Research Association (AERA), and the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). He also served on the National Academies of Science Roundtable for Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education, the West Virginia University Diversity Visiting Committee, University System of Georgia Board of Regents Hispanic/Latino Executive Leadership Committee, and the American Dental Education Association Minority Affairs Advisory Committee. He also serves on the advisory committee for the new Willie Jeffries School of Excellence, a charter school in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
An Atlanta, Georgia, native, Lee grew up in the Methodist tradition at Butler Street Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.