Ten District of Columbia students will receive more than $50,000 in scholarships aimed at encouraging careers in affordable housing, the D.C. Housing Finance Agency announced Thursday.
The recipients of the agency’s fifth annual Todd A. Lee Scholarship are all D.C. natives or residents, a program requirement. The scholarships support students pursuing higher education with the goal of entering the affordable housing field.
“These students are already making an impact and setting high standards, making them the promising leaders of tomorrow,” said Christopher E. Donald, executive director and CEO of DCHFA.
The 2025 Todd A. Lee Scholars are:
• Audrey Davis, graduate student with a real estate concentration at Georgetown University.
• Cameron Gadson, graduate student with a public policy concentration at American University.
• Dajhon Williams, graduate student with a public health concentration at Brown University.
• Keevsayah Polite, business administration major at Florida Memorial University.
• Keicha Barnes, graduate student with a computer engineering concentration at the University of the District of Columbia.
• Sade Boyea, business major at Liberty University.
• Natalie Washington, graduate student with a real estate concentration at the University of Maryland.
• Quentin Foster, business major at Louisiana State University.
• Marissa Garland, business and finance major at the University of the District of Columbia.
• Khufu Edwards, graduate student with a business concentration at Morgan State University.
The scholarship honors Todd A. Lee, who served as DCHFA’s executive director and CEO from 2016 to 2020. Lee focused his career on innovation, infrastructure and financing in real estate, working to preserve and construct affordable and workforce housing in the District. DCHFA launched the scholarship in 2020 following his death.
Since the program began, 39 recipients have been awarded more than $280,000 toward their education. Past scholarship winners have gone on to work for D.C. government and organizations including Intuit Inc., Volunteers of America and Capital Impact Partners.
“Todd A. Lee would be happy knowing that we have a generation of future leaders ready to foster and thrive within this affordable housing ecosystem,” Donald said.