From Elon to Sesame Street Workshop, Cee has pursued a career of purpose and passion.
Alonzo Cee ’20’s journey from Elon University to Sesame Workshop embodies the essence of purpose-driven leadership and unwavering commitment to community building.
Cee’s Elon story began unexpectedly. “I found Elon by chance,” he said. “My travel baseball team was playing in a tournament hosted at Elon in the summer of 2012.” At the time Cee was in the process of trying to play Division 1 college baseball before a shoulder injury ended those hopes.
This was the year that began down the path to D1 college baseball – going to showcases, playing in tournaments and talking to coaches. “I ended up injuring my shoulder that next spring, which ended my hopes of playing at that level,” he said.
Even though he met Elon thanks to baseball, Cee remained interested in attending after his injury.
“It seemed like it had a well-rounded education on top of a major, I was interested in, statistics,” he says. “After attending Phoenix Fusion weekend, an admissions weekend for students of diverse backgrounds and identities, I knew it was the school I wanted to attend.”
Cee went on to graduate with a bachelor of science in statistics and a minor in sport management, but he didn’t just excel academically. He also immersed himself in a plethora of extracurricular activities including playing Club Baseball, DJing on campus, joining the Sigma Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and advocating within the Black Student Union.
While pursuing a master’s of higher education at Elon, Cee’s trajectory took yet another transformative turn. Guided by mentors and propelled by his own experiences, he found his calling in higher education and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work.
This moment led him through pivotal career shifts, from Auburn University to ultimately landing at Sesame Workshop as Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Sesame Workshop is the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street, the long running children’s educational program.
At Sesame Workshop, Cee is at the forefront of fostering a culture of belonging and equity. His day-to-day involves crafting and leading workshops, managing employee resource groups and curating enriching learning experiences. Drawing on his statistical background, he analyzes data to inform initiatives and policies, ensuring that Sesame Workshop remains a beacon of inclusivity
Reflecting on his journey, Cee acknowledges the challenges of pivoting careers and navigating the complexities of DEI work. “You get to see the best and worst that humanity has to offer, especially with everything happening in our social and political spheres.” he said. “Even through the best of intentions, mistakes are made.”
Even though DEI is not yet baked into professional life, Cee notes that there is joy to be found in seeing colleagues become their authentic selves through DEI work.
“We cannot just envision what this looks like for ourselves, we have to create policies and change culture so that ALL of us can authentically shine as we are,” he said. “Not just inviting people to the ‘party,’ but making sure their voices matter and hold weight.”
Through it all, Cee credits Elon University for providing the fertile ground where his leadership qualities flourished.
“The experiences, classes, jobs and extracurriculars I took on were one of a kind and all played a part in the person I am today,” he said.
“Elon was a very well-rounded experience when you are provided with proper guidance and are given the keys to open the endless doors of opportunities,” he added. “But that is just it, the proper guidance (and maybe a little intuition) is what put me where I am today. It is the people and the community that I surrounded myself with that shaped me to be the inquisitive equity-centered leader that I am today.”
Looking ahead, Cee remains steadfast in his commitment to amplifying marginalized voices and championing equity. Balancing personal aspirations with professional endeavors, he envisions a future where wellness, community and purpose converge harmoniously.
As Cee continues to write his story, he leaves a profound message for future graduates.
“My advice would be to follow your passions and don’t sacrifice your values or who you are for the sake of a job,” he said. “Yes, we all need to earn a livable wage and pay bills, expenses, etc. However, being passionate about your work and balancing work with the other areas of your life is incredibly important. I work to live, not live to work.”