When Lee Sanders stands at the podium each spring, reading the names of Butler County’s scholarship recipients, she does so with deep care, years of experience—and the voice of a mentor in her heart.

Lee’s connection to the Hamilton Community Foundation’s scholarship program began over two decades ago, while working at Miami University Hamilton. She had long volunteered as a scholarship reviewer, but in 2011, something shifted. Jim Paulus—a beloved colleague and community leader who traditionally read names at the annual reception—asked Lee to step in while he was away. The following year, after Jim’s unexpected passing, Lee was asked to return. She has been reading names ever since.

“To even try to fill his shoes felt humbling,” Lee said. “Jim was a mentor, and this became a way to honor his legacy.”

Lee brings her own sense of care and attention to the role. She believes that names carry power and that getting them right is a matter of dignity. A week before each event, she meets with Kasey Rouse at the Foundation to practice pronunciation, making handwritten notes and rehearsing multiple times to ensure each student hears their name spoken with care.

“No one wants their name mispronounced,” she said. “It’s a simple act, but it’s a way to say, ‘we see you.’”

As she reads each name aloud, Lee is acutely aware of the promise in the room. “These young people—this is our future,” she said. “I often wonder where I’ll see their names again. Will they come back to Hamilton as a nurse, a teacher, a lawyer, an EMT?”

The ceremony, she notes, is a moment of pride—for students, certainly, but especially for their families. “You can see it in their faces. Even when students try to act cool, their families are beaming. These scholarships mean opportunity.”

Lee has seen firsthand how transformative that opportunity can be. As a longtime Miami Hamilton faculty member, she has watched students—many of whom she’s mentored—balance academics with caregiving, jobs, and personal hardship.

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“Some students had to choose between a textbook and a winter coat. Others were raising kids or caring for parents. And many were overcoming unthinkable personal challenges just to show up and keep going. These scholarships matter.”

She’s especially proud that the Foundation’s scholarship program doesn’t subscribe to a one-size-fits-all model. “It’s not just about four-year degrees,” she said. “There’s support for students pursuing a wide range of paths—college, trades, certifications—and that’s a real gift.”

To Lee, the scholarship program is yet another example of Hamilton’s character.

“This is a generous community. When there’s a need, people step up. These scholarships are an investment—not just in these students, but in Hamilton’s future.”

For Lee, the names she reads are never just names. They are stories, legacies, and bright beginnings. And through her voice, each one is honored.