2024 McPhee Scholar: Sean Lee
May 14, 2024
When Sean Lee was notified that he was named the 2024 Computer Information Systems Department Outstanding Student, one of the first people he shared the news with was his internship supervisor at Southern California Edison.
“He told me he was the CIS Student of the Year, too.” Lee said. “So was his boss.”
Lee will start a full-time position with SCE as a software engineer, contingent on his graduation. He’s already found professional colleagues in the Bronco Alumni Family. He’ll also shares a new bond with someone much closer to home.
About 30 years ago, Lee’s father immigrated to the United States from Vietnam. His father’s version of the American Dream included earning a degree in computer science from Cal Poly Pomona, then building a career at SCE and a family in El Monte, Calif. It’s one of many journeys to come full circle when Lee steps to the podium during Commencement to accept the honor of 2024 College of Business Administration Co-McPhee Scholar.
“When I thank my parents for all that they have done for me, I want to say that portion in Vietnamese so that it will be more meaningful,” Lee says. “Although my mom understands casual English, she would better understand what I am trying to convey.”
Lee will speak during the first of two ceremonies scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on May 19 to honor the CBA’s Class of 2024. He is only one of two undergraduates to complete a bachelor’s degree with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. As an undergrad, Lee gained additional work experience as a student assistant with the university’s IT department.
Get to Know Sean Lee
I went to Arroyo High School in El Monte and decided to choose Cal Poly Pomona because I gravitated to its philosophy of "learn by doing". This ability to see and engage in real-world applications of concepts we learn in class made me excited to become a Bronco.
My undergraduate experience at CPP led me to my employment at SCE by providing me with unique experiences that allowed me to build strong connections with the people I now work with and to place a strong emphasis on giving back to the community. Many of my coworkers, including my manager and even the director of our team, were able to connect and form strong bonds through sharing in the belief that our job is to provide for the communities we live in.
My experiences with Dr. Hui Shi and Dr. Scott Little were especially notable throughout my time at CPP. Dr. Shi's classes were always rigorous yet engaging. She made a strong impact on me with how she always stressed the importance of asking for help and being in charge of your own learning. Dr. Little's class was notable in that he showed a deep passion for teaching the subject, encouraging students to learn in different ways relating the concepts we learned to real-life applications. These are both professors that I greatly respect and would recommend to future students.