Lazarus Lee is a graduate of the School of Communications & Media Technologies at Academy of Art University.
From Anderson, South Carolina, Lee specializes in sports media, storytelling, and digital production. With aspirations to become both an executive producer and an on-air commentator, Lee has built a foundation that blends creativity, communication, and leadership.
Read Lee’s full bio on AcademyArt.edu.
Lee delivered the following speech to this year’s graduating students.
First off, I’d like to thank my lord and savior, Jesus Christ, for blessing me with this opportunity. Secondly, to our family and friends who probably felt like they were in school just as much as we were, supporting our dreams, giving us feedback, and encouraging us to keep going, thank you. Look where we are today.
This university gave me a chance as a military veteran and ol’ southern boy from South Carolina with no previous experience. I couldn’t tell you who or what Adobe was, but that didn’t matter here. My first semester, the basics were all a brother knew, and I have a feeling it was the same for most of you. If you had mentioned a jump cut to me before university, I would’ve started talking about football and how Barry Sanders is one of the baddest to ever do it.
We didn’t all start in the same place. Some of us came in feeling confident, some of us confused, and some, like me, came in not even knowing what we didn’t know. But we stayed. We learned. We grew. We realized this journey was never just about mastering software, cameras, or techniques; it was about learning how to translate who we are into something the world can feel. Those late nights, tight deadlines, revisions on top of revisions; those weren’t setbacks. Those were chapters. We created.
We created through doubt. We created through fear.
We created when things weren’t perfect.
That’s what makes this moment so powerful. Your voice matters. Your perspective matters. Your story matters.
Everyone has a story to tell. And the world we’re stepping into right now? It needs storytellers. It needs creators who aren’t afraid to be authentic. It needs people who understand that behind every collection, every photograph, every film, every animation, there’s a human experience waiting to be seen and heard.
We don’t let comparison steal our confidence. We don’t let perfection stop our progress. And we never wait for permission to be great. Go on to lead, to build, to design, to film, to inspire, and to break barriers with purpose. Do it with passion. And most importantly, do it with truth.
To my momma Felicia and grandma Peggy, who are here today, I appreciate both of you and love y’all dearly. To my sisters, Lady CeCe and Shanice, thank you for keeping me accountable. And to my brother Ed-Dward Rainey in heaven, I hope I am keeping that promise. You are with me in everything I do.
And to my fellow graduates, create your story and help others tell theirs.
Congratulations, Class of 2026.