Throwing the first pitch at a major league baseball game and travelling the world are just a few of Jason Lee's ambitions. The Calgary native and bachelor of management student has accomplished much in the last few years, and says his time at the University of Lethbridge has given him a world of opportunities, equipping him with the knowledge and confidence necessary to make his dreams a reality.
Lee is majoring in international management combined with political science. He came to the University in fall 2007 after a year at what was then Mount Royal College. He lived in Peru serving a mission from 2004-2006.
"It was a life-changing experience," says Lee of his time in Peru. "It was a chance to look inward and figure out who I wanted to be."
He says he wanted to choose a career that would let him continue to travel abroad and the U of L seemed like a good place to pursue that option.
"At the end of first year, I realized post-secondary is a unique experience and it's different from the rest of your working life, and I wanted to make the most of it," says Lee, who enrolled in the Integrated Management Experience (IME) program.
"I started thinking more seriously about schoolwork in IME and I was involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities that had to do with the program. I liked everything about it. I was the type of person that asked a lot of questions and the program really catered to that."
The program encouraged Lee to make the most of his knowledge, and he became a representative in the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition (ICBC) as part of the business strategy team. He was also part of a team that won the KPMG Case Competition in March 2009. Lee says he was honoured to be involved with the group.
"Most of the time, you just feel like a regular student who's busy studying and doing the normal things, but the odd time in your life you get to feel the thrill of your achievements and there's nothing else like it," he says. "It feels great."
Lee previously completed co-ops in Calgary and Botswana, and is in the process of completing his third with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
"Co-op studies have been as important as any class I've ever taken," says Lee. "So many opportunities have risen from that for me; it's an excellent program."
When he's not focusing on his studies, Lee enjoys several hobbies including long boarding, playing sports and learning the guitar. He says he's not sure where life will take him, but he's determined to keep an open mind.
"I'm a dreamer; I want to do so many things," he says. "I want to get the perspective and experience I need to do something I like, and there's enough success out there for everyone."
To learn more about the Faculty of Management at the University of Lethbridge, visit this link.