EMU Today

YPSILANTI -- Mark S. Lee, an Eastern Michigan University alumnus and adjunct lecturer for EMU’s College of Business, will never forget the day he met Rosa Parks.

As he wrote in an article for the Detroit News, Lee was EMU's student body president in 1982 and, as part of his role, he often welcomed special guests to campus. Rosa Parks was visiting EMU as part of a luncheon celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and it was Lee's job to introduce her to the audience. 

Lee wrote: “I was clearly in awe, but her humility, demeanor and resounding strength really resonated with me. And before introducing her, I was understandably nervous, but curious enough to ask her one simple question: ‘Why did you do it?’

“She looked at me with her gentle face and said in a soft voice with a Southern drawl, ‘Mark, I was tired. Just tired.’ I initially thought she was simply tired from working all day as a seamstress and wanted to rest her weary body with a seat on the bus, but then it hit me: She was tired of the social injustices she had to endure in her lifetime.”

Parks explained to Lee how she met Dr. King and how their cooperation impacted the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Together, they worked toward a common goal—for a society based on equality for all people, regardless of skin color. The hardships they and all people of color endured during that time were intense and innumerable. As the civil rights movement’s leading figures, King and Parks could have chosen to retaliate with violence, as others before them had. But they willingly chose not to, instead campaigning a message based on nonviolence, communication, and engaging others.

“Out of this darkness, their lights were lit and they were brought together to affect and drive change. And their ability to work together inspired others,” Lee said.

Rosa Parks’ strength in the face of uncertainty inspired Lee to take a more nonviolent approach to his own life. “No matter the obstacles in life, it’s how one addresses these adverse situations which determine their overall character. In my opinion, this spirit is what is needed as we continue to focus on the future.”

Integrity and the importance of education were valuable lessons taught to Lee in his youth. He was born and raised in Detroit, living with his parents and two older siblings. His grandmother and great-grandmother also had a significant impact on his Iife.

“My great-grandmother had a fourth-grade education, but worked to ensure her family would be educated,” Lee said. “It was instilled in her daughter (my grandmother) and her offspring (my father and aunt) that education was an opportunity and without it, you’re limiting one’s future. I have continued to instill her drive and indomitable spirit in my young adults as they continue to grow and lead their lives now.”

The lessons he learned from the most important people in his life would lead Lee to receive a BBA from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA in Marketing from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Today, he is the President and CEO of The Lee Group, an integrated marketing firm helping the entrepreneurs of Metro Detroit grow their businesses through marketing and branding.

Lee’s time as student body president at EMU helped prepare him for his current career. “EMU was a wonderful educational experience for me. It provided me with opportunities to grow and develop as a person, establish relationships and make an impact as a student leader.

“It also taught me how to handle adversity as a leader. Based on my experiences at EMU, I was able to handle situations in a mature and professional manner and became the foundation for how I handle personal and professional situations as part of my career.”

You can see Mark S. Lee as a host on EMU Today TV, and hear him on his podcast, Small Talk with Mark S. Lee. Visit the Lee Group’s website to learn more about his company.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves nearly 18,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and, its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.