Meet Our Scholars

Michael McCann’s path into the medical field was forged through sheer determination and hard work. After receiving an undergraduate degree in media studies and working in media production for several years, he found himself overcome with the desire to help others and change his career path.

In 2016, at a critical juncture in his life, he decided to boldly change directions and entered Erie Community College’s (ECC) Radiation Therapy program. “When I chose to go back to school, my wife was pregnant with twins, and I was working fulltime.” he recalled. “I would have class from 7:00am to 4:00pm, then go to work from 6:00pm to 2:00am. I was lucky to get three or four hours of sleep a night.” After a full year of sleepless nights and studying during the liminal moments in life, Michael became a Lee Scholar, as he was entering his final year of academic study. “I do not know if I could have gotten through school without it” he reflected. “It was a big help for my family.”

Now a board-certified Medical Dosimetrist, Michael’s journey has paid off with a career that he loves in a profession that has deep personal meaning. “I lost by dad in 2007 to cancer and that inspired me to enter the field and focus on patient care” he said, “bringing my patients joy brings me joy.”

Cierra Friedman is currently pursuing her Clinical Mental Health Counseling license at her alma mater, Canisius University. As an undergraduate, she majored in animal behavior and psychology with a minor in anthrozoology. The intimate class sizes and strong faculty connections she formed during that time left a lasting impression—so much so that she chose to return to Canisius for her graduate studies.

Cierra’s passion for mental health counseling was sparked by her own transformative experience with therapy in high school. That early exposure ignited a deep interest in helping others navigate their mental health journeys. Coupled with her lifelong love of horses, she developed a special interest in equine-assisted psychotherapy. This interest has led her to work at an equine therapy center in East Aurora, with aspirations of one day opening her own center in Buffalo following her graduation this December.

The Lee Scholarship has helped ease the financial demands of graduate school, allowing Cierra to focus more fully on her studies, personal growth, and, of course, her horses. “It’s been really amazing,” she says.

Cierra encourages others interested in the counseling field to believe in themselves, even when self-doubt creeps in. She openly acknowledges facing imposter syndrome but reminds herself, “I wouldn’t have thought that if I didn’t actually think I could do it.” Her confidence in her ability to make a difference stems from her genuine desire to help others—something she believes will carry her through any challenge.

Looking ahead, Cierra is determined to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health by increasing access to resources and fostering open conversations. Through her studies, she’s developed a particular interest in working with veterans and individuals on the autism spectrum—populations she hopes to serve in her future career.

With her unique blend of academic training, personal insight, and passion for animal-assisted therapy, Cierra is poised to make a meaningful impact in the field of mental health.

Danish Naveed, a graduating senior at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), is earning his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. From an early age, Danish was drawn to technology, inspired by the vast potential it offered. That early fascination has grown into a focused passion for quality assurance—a field where his commitment to precision and high standards truly shines.

"For me, every product I help build is a reflection of who I am," Danish shares. "I firmly believe in quality over quantity, and that philosophy guides everything I do." As a quality assurance professional, he takes pride in ensuring the integrity of each line of code and believes that strong products start with strong principles.

Danish’s ambition isn’t limited to the classroom. At just 19 years old, he launched Fusion Upgrade LLC, a wholesale cell phone company that now operates in several U.S. states and exports internationally to countries including Canada. His entrepreneurial spirit and strategic mindset have been key drivers of the company’s success and growth.

For students interested in tech or business, Danish offers simple but powerful advice: be passionate about what you do. “If you’re not passionate about it, don’t do it,” he says. “Passion makes the work effortless and meaningful.”

Danish also credits the Lee Foundation for supporting his journey. “Their emphasis on integrity and leadership mirrors my own values—values I rely on every day as a small business owner,” he says. “Customer satisfaction is everything.”

His academic journey has been enriched by RIT’s co-op program, which gave him invaluable real-world experience. He interned with C Speed Technology, a military radar firm, and Waygate Technology, where he currently works as a manual tester. These opportunities sharpened his skills and affirmed his career path.

Looking ahead, Danish plans to continue expanding Fusion Upgrade LLC and pursue a role in software quality assurance at in the tech industry.  “I’d love to contribute to a company that sets the bar for innovation and quality” Danish said.

With a solid foundation of experience, values, and vision, Danish Naveed is well on his way to making an impact—both in the tech world and beyond.

Carly Sear, Lee Scholar and graduate of Saint Louis University, sees her future as a professional engineer as a way to serve humanity and solve problems that affect individuals. This passion led Carly to civil engineering because “it is human focused engineering—engineering for civilization. We are looking at how the material world interact with the human world.”

Her interest in leveraging engineering to solve human focused issues led her to the Environmental Water Resource master’s program at Virginia Tech. In this program, she studies an often overlooked and critical part of water access in the United States: private wells. This is an understudied area of water research. No one knows how many private wells are in use in this country and the quality of water from these sources has never been fully analyzed. “As an engineer I want to solve all the world’s problems—I can’t do that” said Carly, “what I can do is take my research one step at a time and see how my work effects individuals and communities.”

Her goal is to continue analyzing water access through a civil engineering framework, conducting research that has practical applications in communities. “In the end, it is important that my research gets beyond scientific audience and into the hands of people who can do something directly with it.”

Carly credits the Lee Foundation’s support as being instrumental in her journey. “The Foundation values the whole person, the whole Lee Scholar. That made me feel understood and justified in my community involvement and see myself as a servant leader.” With the support of her fellow Lee Scholars, she looks forward to a future where she can design a better future for individuals and communities.

Farhad Begaliev has always thought of a vehicle as much more than a mode of transportation. Growing up, he watched his grandfather and uncle fix the family’s one car that was in continuous need of repair. He saw how this mechanical skill could help not only his family, but also neighbors and friends in need. Now, as a 2024 graduate of Alfred State with a degree in Automotive Service Technology, Farhad is looking to do the same.

Farhad credits Alfred State and the Lee Scholarship as helping him find his vocation and making his educational journey financially possible. “I never thought I would go to college after struggling in high school” he said, “I found a program that I really loved with instructors and classmates that care about my success.” He is currently working at a car dealership in Central New York—a position he found through one of his instructors—and applying his skill to increasingly complex vehicle problems.    

When thinking about the future, Farhad said that his plan is to one day open his own automotive shop to “assist people in the community and gain a reputation as someone who can fix anything.” In the true spirt of a Lee Scholar, his goal is to take his mechanical knowledge and “hand it down to someone else, just like how my instructors passed it to me.”  

“I am fascinated by the little universe we cannot see inside of everything that keeps the world together.” That is how Finley Donachie, Lee Scholar and 2024 RPI graduate, describes his enthusiasm about the materials engineering field.

Finley’s interest in the nano-world, particularly the thin film technologies that are ubiquitous in computer hardware, was a constant facet of his undergraduate work and a driving force behind his career ambitions. He describes how cutting-edge thin film research is fundamentally changing the field of technology and testing the limits of materials. “Concepts we believe in for hundreds of years are turning out to be false” he said of recent scientific breakthroughs, “I hope to make that game changing discovery that challenges conventional thinking.”  In California later this year, he will have the opportunity to do just that.

Finley begins a PhD program at the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Materials Science this fall. He was awarded the highly competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, an honor reserved for the nation’s most promising research focused graduate students. With this support Finley will be furthering his research into thin films, using some of the most advanced techniques and machines anywhere in the country. “Some people are fearful or skeptical about the future of technology” he said, “I want to make the world a better place through technology.”  

For Lee Scholar Enrique Cardoso-Najera, the dream of becoming a professional engineer blossomed while earning an associate degree at SUNY Orange. “Going to community college was one of the best decisions I ever made” he said, “I had great mentors who helped build my understanding of engineering and taught me that I could do anything and go anywhere.” 

Now a senior at Rochester Institute of Technology studying Civil Engineering Technology and Business, Enrigue’s goal is to merge a career in aviation design with his interests in enterprise management. “The Lee scholarship is making it possible for me to pursue the business and entrepreneurial aspects of engineering” he said, “to work both on the technical components of a project and with people and clients.” Once he graduates, Enrique hopes to help the next generation of Lee Scholars uncover their professional passion. “Giving back is the best way that I can pay it forward” he said, “by supporting a network to help future students that are where I am right now.”      

Kay Wilkoff’s life defies categorization. She is a Lee Scholar, who has been a foster parent to over 25 children. A veteran social worker who went back to school and graduated with a 4.0 in a STEM field. The former president of Monroe Community College’s (MCC) Optics Club and a busy working mother. “The scholarship created a big green light over my future,” said Kay of becoming a Lee Scholar.

“The Lee Foundation’s scholarship is the thread of hope that empowered my educational journey and stabilized my family environment allowing me to continue fostering,” she said. The scholarship enabled Kay to provide her adopted daughter, Erica, family support at a critical time.  

After graduating in 2023, Kay accepted a position as Sales Account Manager at Sydor Optics, bought a house, and is helping Erica navigate the college enrollment process. Kay attributes these life-changing developments to a “ripple effect that began with the Lee Foundation’s gift.”

 It’s hard to imagine a student more determined than Anthony. When he graduates from Monroe Community College in July, it will be with a second two-year degree. He was 25 when he began work on his first, in automotive industries technology, which led to four years as a maintenance technician with Toyota. But his “lifelong dream” was to be an engineer. So, with the support of his wife, Anthony left his job to pursue that dream full time.

Thanks to his Lee Foundation scholarship, Anthony says, “I can breathe. It allows me to focus on school with a clear head – without the financial burden – and get the best grades possible. I am profoundly grateful.” And it’s especially welcome since he and his wife had a baby girl in March.

Anthony’s next step will take him to RIT to complete his bachelor’s degree. As for his eventual career, he’s open to new possibilities. “Automotive is my first love,” he says, “but the more I learn about electrical engineering and what can be done … there are lots of things I’m interested in.”

Bethany, a self-described nontraditional student earned her A.A.S. degree in SUNY Erie’s occupational therapy assistant program in 2020. Bethany returned to school after taking time at home to raise her two young daughters. With her return to the workforce, Bethany wanted to use her problem solving skills and work directly with people to impact their lives for the better. Occupational therapy seemed to be a perfect fit.

Bethany said, “the Lee scholarship was a tremendous help to me and my family because it allowed me to embark on my new career without financial stress.” She was particularly impressed that the Foundation’s programs supported students at community colleges who were entering the helping professions. The scholarship allowed Bethany to focus on her career opportunities and alleviated the burden of student loans.  

Karla, who was already the mother of a toddler, had a second child during her first semester of graduate school. “I pretty much left class, had the baby and was back in class the next week,” she recalls. 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.

Karla had always been interested in how deficiencies in the brain affect people’s behavior and she knew laboratory research was not for her.  Instead, she chose to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner so she could have a more immediate and direct impact. For Karla, the Lee Scholarship was “a blessing” that provided freedom and less anxiety – knowing that she would not be burdened by student loans.

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.”

Like many who grow up on military bases, Parry acquired a passion for air­planes. What sets him apart is that he also developed a desire to give back to our country. Rather than flying, Parry “really wanted to be on the aircraft design and test side of things,” he explained. “I wanted to have an impact on our nation’s defense.” He was able to fulfill that dream when he joined Boeing’s TX Flight Test Program.

Mentoring other students and networking with other Lee Scholars has kept Parry connected to the Foundation. Parry shared, “I’ll always want to give back to St. Louis University and pay forward what the Lee Foundation has given to me.”

“Astronomical!” That was how Ashley described the impact of the Lee scholarship on her life. “I was very lucky. Tuition had gone up every year, and prior to the scholarship I was working multiple jobs. The scholarship was a great relief.”

Ashley’s career aspirations were also “astronomical.” After graduating from RIT in 2019, she accepted a job at SpaceX in Florida.  The year before Ashley interned with the company in California and gained valuable hands-on experience as part of the team working on the Falcon and Dragon. In her current job as a Build Reliability Engineer at the launch site, she has continued her work on this exciting project.

On May 30, 2020, Ashely proudly watched SpaceX launch its first-ever crewed mission, which sent two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. When asked about the launch, Ashley said, “It was absolutely phenomenal!”