RIGOR & HUMANITY

'Lessons From A Life In Education And Leadership'
​Written by Sonja Montiel & Narrated by Wilson Lee

​“I just sat there, and I was like, does it have to be that hard?”

Wilson remembers the last day of school as the director of college counseling in Korea. He was alone in his apartment, finally quiet and suitcases packed for a summer trip to the United States. His first year counseling was intense, and his commitment to succeed matched that. He had absorbed every expectation, pushed through every demand, and done what he believed was required. Wilson always relied on his work ethics and commitment as an educator, but in this moment, he questioned why he hadn’t seen the signs of complete burnout that nearly broke him.

That afternoon in his apartment marked the beginning of a deep reexamination of the values he had inherited from his father. His father was the oldest son, and was placed as the head of the household after losing his father at a young age. As a child, he learned what it meant to endure and persist in order to survive the scarcities of the Korean War. Through relentless hard work and studying when he could, Wilson’s father eventually became a math teacher in Korea after joining the military. The lessons passed down to Wilson were simple:

Work hard. Work smart. But always do both.

Wilson recalls a childhood that was shaped by that philosophy, where even rest carried a lesson. Holidays and snow days were opportunities to work and learn more. While Wilson’s friends played, he was encouraged to learn. As a middle schooler, Wilson remembers asking his father for help with one particular math problem. Since he was a math teacher, Wilson figured his dad would quickly share the solution. Instead, he began with the history of arithmetic, filled sheet after sheet of paper as Wilson began to doze off. When his father asked Wilson if he understood, Wilson didn’t have a choice. He nodded yes. Then, his father crumpled up the papers, handed Wilson a blank sheet, and said, “Now you do it.”

Throughout Wilson’s childhood, he developed a mindset that was unforgiving and inflexible. “It was never about completion, but instead, it was about precision. About doing things right.” That mindset followed Wilson into his career without question. Early in his years as a school counselor in Korea, he immersed himself completely into the work. Work was everything. The environment demanded it, and his own internal voice reinforced it. He pushed himself to the edge of sustainability, believing that his effort measures outcomes and commitment.

However, as Wilson sat in the apartment, he decided that he would not repeat that kind of year where he sacrificed self-care, relationships, and dignity. “What kind of life is that? I knew that I couldn’t sustain a quality of life where my work ethics determined everything.”

Wilson could not accept that achievement and success relied only on his capability. He began to see that certain things were worth holding tightly, while others were not. His health, his well-being, and his family moved to the center of his priorities. He still had drive, but he decided to reshape it, striving for excellence with boundaries that honored himself and the relationships around him.

That shift arrived on time when he was encouraged to serve on a committee with the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Before the shift, Wilson would have never considered for himself the opportunity, convinced that he couldn’t lead with excellence. However, he was at a different time, and said yes, did well, and faithfully served two terms as a NACAC delegate. 

The idea of running for the presidency of the International Association for College Admission Counseling (International ACAC) felt almost unimaginable. “There were people who had come before me who were giants in the industry. I was not on that level. Looking back, it was my colleagues that pushed me forward. They believed in me, more than I believed in myself.”

If anything, Wilson believed in connection above all. He realized that schools, universities, and counselors cannot be adversaries. Instead, they were collaborators, all working toward the same purpose. With this belief, Wilson built relationships by showing up, listening, and contributing. He spent years in spaces where trust was earned through consistency. Over time, people began to experience his capabilities, reliability, and most importantly, care. 

That care became Wilson’s defining value. Even now, he emphasizes that no major decision in his life has been made alone. His wife, Julie, has been his sounding board. Close colleagues, some of them spanning decades, have offered perspective and guidance. “I know what resources I have, and these people are the best at it. Why would I rely on anything else?”

As president of International ACAC, access sits at the heart of Wilson’s work. He has been careful to acknowledge the privilege of his professional environments, where he has worked for institutions with abundant resources, from Singapore to Korea. Having access to that privilege, Wilson holds a great deal of responsibility.

This principle has guided his approach to leadership within international education. It is why he has championed processes that improve connection with regions, information-sharing, and how knowledge is communicated beyond traditional boundaries. One of his most significant contributions has been seeing the Regional Council within International ACAC come to fruition. Instead of relying on centralized knowledge, Wilson supported regional representation that reflects the diversity of the global community. “I know East and Southeast Asia from my experience. I do not know Europe or the Middle East in the same way. We need people who do, and we have people who do.”

The result has been more responsive communication, more meaningful support, and an expanded sense of belonging. It has also created new pathways for collaboration across regions, particularly when challenges arise. Whether addressing documentation concerns or navigating geopolitical shifts, the council allows for informed, localized insight, throughout the college admission professional communities, worldwide.

​As Wilson recently stepped away from his presidency at the end of his term, he shares how his leadership journey has been more demanding, and more transformative, than he ever anticipated. He also shares how timing and discernment helped him to navigate through stressful challenges, keeping his boundaries clear while always trying to prioritize self-care. He has learned that leadership carries both visibility and responsibility. And while success is shared, accountability is personal. “In leadership, when things go wrong, the finger gets pointed at you. I once believed that good intent would often be enough, that people would always naturally support the work. But leadership is more complex.”

For Wilson, how one manages that complexity of leadership will directly affect influence and impact. In particular, his empathy is constantly thinking about how students are learning from their educators and each other. We cannot count on everything going as planned, and it is important to believe that “uncertainty” is not a flaw. “Today’s college process intentionally teaches us that there is no single pathway. However, what can be more consistent is how we model how to manage that uncertainty for our students.”

​Through the college admissions process and beyond, Wilson invites us all to act with purpose, move with intention, and always allow space for the unexpected. He will sometimes discover his tendencies to push too hard, and acknowledges that he continues to learn how to balance drive with care. In the end, Wilson recognizes his evolution as an educational leader, learning to hold both rigor and humanity because both are needed to increase access, justice, and quality of life for everyone. ∎

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​To learn more about Wilson Lee:
linkedin.com/in/wilsonlee1776
www.sas.edu.sg
www.internationalacac.org

Wilson Lee has spent 24 years in education—first in the classroom, then developing the counseling program at Yongsan International School of Seoul as the Director of College Counseling, and is now at Singapore American School as their College Counseling Program Manager. Outside of institutions, Wilson served eight years as an executive board member of International ACAC, has co-chaired the Mentors Committee for four years, the Opportunity Grants Committee for six years, and chaired the Governance & Nominating Committee this past year. In 2020, he helped launch The Mentor Year Program, which was recognized with the NACAC Rising Star Award in 2022. Wilson also sits on advisory boards for The Common Application, The College Board, The University of Pennsylvania, Baylor University, and the International School of Bangkok. This year, he was proud to have served the members of International ACAC as their immediate past president.