The Lee University Office of Alumni Relations recently announced the winners of the 2023 Young Alumni Professional Development (YAPD) Grant.

The YAPD Grant program supports alumni participating in initiatives, events, trainings, and projects related to professional development. The grant is open to all Lee University alumni, regardless of academic training or professional experience, as long as the individual is currently employed and within 10 years of graduating from a Lee undergraduate program.

“We are so proud of the incredible work our young alums are doing,” said Taylor Smith, director of Alumni Relations. “The first few years after graduation can be tough, and the YAPD Grant is a way for the university to support our alums during a crucial part of their professional development.”

This year’s recipients are Josh Aguilar, Amanda Dermott, Christian Garrett, Ali Baker Goodman, Kellie Brown Guard, Sierra Coleman Hasty, Yunyue (Kyle) Ma, Melissa Dishner Madell, and Danna Griffin Tyree.

Aguilar, a branch manager at Oregon Community Credit Union, graduated in 2016 and will use the funds to pursue a Master of Arts in organizational leadership at Bushnell University.

Dermott, a 2021 graduate, is an administrative fellow at Erlanger Health System. The YAPD Grant will cover her membership fees, webinars, and meetings for the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Garrett graduated in 2014 and works at Mitchell Family Medicine and The Ark Children’s Clinic as an advanced practice registered nurse. He plans to use the grant to pay for membership fees for the Obesity Medicine Association.

Goodman, a school-based therapist at Centerstone, graduated in 2018 and plans to use the funds to pay for externship fees for emotion-focused therapy.

Guard is a school counselor at Bradley County Public Schools and graduated in 2020. She plans to use the funds to buy social and emotional learning books for school counseling.

Hasty, who graduated in 2021, is an elementary school teacher at Whitfield County Schools and plans to pursue a master’s program at Georgia Southern University.

Ma is a senior tax associate at Life Care Centers of America and graduated in 2016. He plans to pursue an MBA at Lee University with these funds.

Madell graduated in 2017 and is a music therapist at Moved by Music. With the grant she received, she will buy instruments for music therapy sessions.

Tyree graduated in 2021 and works at Southern Tennessee Regional Health Systems and Centennial ER as an emergency room registered nurse. She will further her medical Spanish training with the grant.

For more information or to apply for the YAPD Grant, email [email protected] or call (423) 614-8316.