LEEving: Suzanne Holt
When she first came to Lee College in 1984, Dr. Suzanne Holt was a young woman from Trinidad and Tobago beginning a new chapter in an unfamiliar place. 42 years later, she is retiring from Lee’s Cabinet, leaving behind a legacy shaped by faith, leadership and student relationships.
Looking back on her journey, Holt believes her arrival at Lee was special.
“God was planting me in a place he had ordained for my life,” Holt reflected.
Her father helped her settle into Nora Chambers and she began her Lee journey. Three years later, after graduating, she expected to move on to something new. Lee offered her an opportunity to serve as a Resident Director and she accepted.
Over the course of her career, Holt served in five distinct areas of the university and played a role in developing programs and initiatives that have shaped the Lee student experience.
Holt’s influence extends beyond individual positions. She contributed to numerous programs, committees, and projects, including work with the General Education Core, Lee’s first Diversity Committee, the inaugural Dorm Wars competition, and the university’s first New Student Service of Dedication.
One of the most significant areas of her work was the first-year college experience and the development of Lee’s Gateway peer leader program. Her work in this area allowed her to represent the university at regional and national higher education conferences. It also became the subject of her doctoral research and dissertation.
Holt also led more than 22 cross-cultural study abroad trips across 13 countries and five continents. Her experiences allowed her to walk alongside students as they encountered new cultures, formed relationships across differences, and developed a broader understanding of the world.
From resident assistants to club officers, thousands of Lee students crossed her path. For Holt, one of the greatest privileges has been watching them grow.
“To watch young men and women discover their purpose, persevere through challenges, deepen their faith, and grow into leaders within their families, churches, professions, and communities has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my professional life,” Holt said.
As she reflects on her career, Holt recognizes the influence of the presidents she served under. Holt credits Chancellor Dr. Paul Conn for his encouragement and vision with helping her recognize possibilities in herself that she could not yet see. He encouraged her to pursue a doctorate in higher education administration and promoted her to administrator with rank. She sees his investment in her life as transformative.
“I will forever be grateful to this dear man for the role he played in helping a young woman from Trinidad find her place, purpose, and future at Lee,” Holt said.
Professor of Pastoral Studies Dr. Mark Walker also played a significant role in her professional journey. He invited her to become a member of the university’s Cabinet, making her the first person of color and international individual to hold that distinction. She views that opportunity as another example of God’s guidance throughout her career and remains grateful for the trust President Walker placed in her.
Although she has worked under President Dr. Phil Cook for only one year, she appreciates his decision to return to and lead his alma mater. As she leaves her Cabinet position, Holt offers her prayers for Cook's leadership of the university.
Through each administration and position, Holt’s career evolved. Yet, the common thread remained the same: serving students and contributing to Lee’s mission. Holt sees her story as an example of God’s faithfulness.
42 years ago, Holt arrived at Lee as a young international student with no way of knowing what the future would hold. Today, she leaves her Cabinet role with gratitude for the students she has served, the colleagues who have worked alongside her, the presidents who invested in her, and the university that became home.
“God took a young woman from Trinidad and gave her a front-row seat to witness thousands of lives being transformed,” Holt reflected. “The story has never really been about my career; it has been about God’s faithfulness, his guidance, and the extraordinary blessing of serving others through a calling I never knew I was meant to live.”
Photos by Emma Sargent.
