In his sophomore year of college as a dance major, Roger Lee suffered an injury that required surgery and kept him away from his passion for six months. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever dance again. When he finally got back on his feet, he returned with a newfound commitment. He wanted to take his dancing more seriously, to find deeper meaning in it, and to use it to help heal other people the way the art form had helped him heal. He has brought that spirit to his performances ever since, while also helping other artists and entrepreneurs find what they need to pursue their own dreams. His eponymous dance company, founded 14 years ago, “has turned into a family now,” growing directly out of the thesis he wrote for his master’s in arts administration at Drexel, which focused on building African-American audiences for dance concerts in Philadelphia. Where most dance companies are rooted in classical forms, he found success with a different approach: “I was going to celebrate the urban art forms for the urban community,” he says. In addition to his dancing, Lee has served in a range of roles supporting others in pursuing their passions. He was an adjunct professor and assistant director of pre-college engagement in Drexel’s Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, then director of entrepreneurship at both Penn State Brandywine and Philadelphia’s Revolution School.

He now coaches young artists in personal branding and career development, always keeping in mind what was missing on his journey that he could provide to someone today. “Arts education changed my life,” Lee says, adding that the most important thing he gained from Drexel was a new vision. He wants to pass on that mindset, helping to bring out the best in others. “Anything is possible,” he says. “Drexel preaches that.”