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This event is a celebration of our community’s commitment to igniting the potential of Middle Tennessee youth. Each year, Middle Tennessee’s community leaders, executives and rising stars come together to celebrate the impact of mentorship.

Join us for a morning filled with inspiration, community, and the chance to make a difference in the lives of young people in our region.

Mentorship Matters.

Thank you for creating Lifelong Impact

Another Big Breakfast in the books! The powerful stories shared by Littles, Bigs, parents and community leaders demonstrated why mentorship truly matters in our community. While we are grateful for the tremendous support shown, the work to ignite the potential of youth continues. If you weren’t able to make a gift during the event, there’s still time to make a difference in a child’s life. Every contribution helps us create and support more life-changing mentoring relationships. 

Meet some of our Matches

Big & Little of the Year

Jamison & Andy

When the match began, Jamison was shy, reserved, and hesitant to open up. Andy recognized the responsibility that came with stepping into the life of a young person who had every reason to be cautious. He approached the relationship with patience, dependability, and openness, knowing that trust would take time. For nearly six months, their outings were quiet and thoughtful, filled with the small moments that gradually laid the foundation for meaningful connection. Then, slowly but surely, Jamison began to reveal his true personality. That willingness to open up marked a turning point in their match. Over the next five years, their relationship grew into something remarkable. What began as weekly outings evolved into a genuine, family‑integrated bond. Andy became a consistent and trusted presence not only for Jamison, but for his mother and siblings as well. Through life’s challenges and milestones, he showed up with the same reliability and encouragement that had defined the match from the beginning. The relationship deepened over time, becoming a powerful example of the lasting impact a mentoring relationship can have on a young person’s life. For Jamison, the impact of having a trusted and reliable mentor has been profound. Early in the match, he struggled with communication, emotional regulation, and confidence in unfamiliar environments. With Andy’s steady encouragement, he began to develop social skills, greater self‑awareness, and confidence in his ability to navigate new situations. Andy focused on affirming Jamison’s strengths, reframing mistakes as learning opportunities, and helping him build a positive self‑image. Over time, Jamison learned to initiate conversations, navigate new environments, and advocate for himself academically and socially.

Keynote Speaker - Candice Storey Lee

Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Vanderbilt University

Candice Storey Lee is Vanderbilt’s vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director.

Lee is Vanderbilt’s first female athletic director and the first Black woman to head an SEC athletics program. During her tenure as athletic director, she has successfully led the most ambitious fundraising project in Vanderbilt Athletics’ history, the Vandy United campaign, which has raised more than $300 million to dramatically upgrade programming and facilities for every Commodore program and student-athlete. She has also added a new varsity sport (women’s volleyball, debuting in 2025) and made head coaching hires in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s tennis, track and field/cross country, and women’s volleyball.

 
A former member of the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team, Lee earned undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development and has been an inspirational leader in athletics and the Vanderbilt community ever since arriving on campus as a first-year student in 1996.
 
Lee began her athletics administration career at Vanderbilt in 2002, serving first as an academic adviser and then as compliance director. Working under the late athletic director David Williams, Lee was named the department’s senior woman administrator in 2004, a responsibility she held until 2020. She also assumed the title of deputy athletic director in 2016, overseeing the athletic department’s day-to-day operations and serving as the sport administrator for football and women’s basketball.
 
A team captain, four-year letter winner, and five-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection as a member of the Commodore women’s basketball team, Lee battled through knee injuries and helped lead Vanderbilt to an SEC Tournament championship in her final season (2002). She earned a bachelor of science degree in human and organizational development in 2000, her master’s degree in counseling in 2002, and her doctorate in higher education administration in 2012. Prior to Vanderbilt, she was a model student-athlete at Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, later recognized as a member of the 2022 class of the Huntsville-Madison County (Ala.) Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
Beyond her duties at Vanderbilt, Lee is a leader in college athletics at a national level. She has served on the Southeastern Conference’s Council on Racial Equity and Social Justice and on the executive committee of the Black Athletic Directors Alliance, an organization created in 2020 to promote the growth, development, and elevation of Black athletics administrators. She is currently a member of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and formerly served as a member of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee and as chair of both the NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Committee and SEC Senior Woman Administrators.
Lee has been recognized by peers and media as one of the leading administrators in college athletics. She was named Athletic Director of the Year in 2025-2026 by the Sports Business Journal and in 2024-2025 by the National Association of Collegiate Director of Athletics. In 2026 she was also named “Tennessean of the Year” by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. In 2022, she was named Athletic Director of the Year at the Black Student-Athlete Summit. The Sports Business Journal named her to its college sports “Power Players” list in 2019, and Adidas named her to its “NEXT UP” class in 2018. In addition, Lee received the John McClendon Scholarship for Black administrators in 2017.
 
Lee has also built deep roots as a fixture in the Nashville community. She currently serves or has served on the boards of directors for the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Nashville Sports Council, YWCA of Middle Tennessee, Harpeth Hall School, and The Family Center. She was named a 2019–20 fellow of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association’s executive leadership institute and is a graduate of the 2012 class of Leadership Nashville and the 2012 Vanderbilt Leadership Academy. In 2021, Lee received Peabody College’s Distinguished Alumna Award. Members of Vanderbilt’s student-athlete advisory committee awarded Lee their inaugural staff appreciation award in 2022 in recognition of her leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
During Lee’s time at Vanderbilt, Commodore teams won six national championships in baseball (two), bowling (three), and women’s tennis. Vanderbilt teams have also won over 20 conference championships and tournament titles, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, bowling, women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, and women’s tennis. Additionally, the football team has played in eight bowl games since breaking a 26-year bowl drought in 2008.
 
Vanderbilt student-athletes continue to succeed in the classroom under Lee’s leadership. The Spring 2026 semester marked the 33rd consecutive semester Vanderbilt student-athletes posted a cumulative GPA above 3.0 (3.45).
Lee is Vanderbilt’s first female athletic director and the first Black woman to head an SEC athletics program.

During her tenure as athletic director, she has successfully led the most ambitious fundraising project in Vanderbilt Athletics’ history, the Vandy United campaign, which has raised more than $300 million to dramatically upgrade programming and facilities for every Commodore program and student-athlete. She has also added a new varsity sport (women’s volleyball, debuting in 2025) and made head coaching hires in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s tennis, track and field/cross country, and women’s volleyball.
 
A former member of the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team, Lee earned undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development and has been an inspirational leader in athletics and the Vanderbilt community ever since arriving on campus as a first-year student in 1996.
 
Lee began her athletics administration career at Vanderbilt in 2002, serving first as an academic adviser and then as compliance director. Working under the late athletic director David Williams, Lee was named the department’s senior         woman administrator in 2004, a responsibility she held until 2020. She also assumed the title of deputy athletic director in 2016, overseeing the athletic department’s day-to-day operations and serving as the sport administrator for football and women’s basketball.
 
A team captain, four-year letter winner, and five-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection as a member of the Commodore women’s basketball team, Lee battled through knee injuries and helped lead Vanderbilt to an SEC Tournament championship in her final season (2002). She earned a bachelor of science degree in human and organizational development in 2000, her master’s degree in counseling in 2002, and her doctorate in higher education administration in 2012. Prior to Vanderbilt, she was a model student-athlete at Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, later recognized as a member of the 2022 class of the Huntsville-Madison County (Ala.) Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
Beyond her duties at Vanderbilt, Lee is a leader in college athletics at a national level. She has served on the Southeastern Conference’s Council on Racial Equity and Social Justice and on the executive committee of the Black Athletic Directors Alliance, an organization created in 2020 to promote the growth, development, and elevation of Black athletics administrators. She is currently a member of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and formerly served as a member of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee and as chair of both the NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Committee and SEC Senior Woman Administrators.
Lee has been recognized by peers and media as one of the leading administrators in college athletics. She was named Athletic Director of the Year in 2025-2026 by the Sports Business Journal and in 2024-2025 by the National Association of Collegiate Director of Athletics. In 2026 she was also named “Tennessean of the Year” by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. In 2022, she was named Athletic Director of the Year at the Black Student-Athlete Summit. The Sports Business Journal named her to its college sports “Power Players” list in 2019, and Adidas named her to its “NEXT UP” class in 2018. In addition, Lee received the John McClendon Scholarship for Black administrators in 2017.
 
Lee has also built deep roots as a fixture in the Nashville community. She currently serves or has served on the boards of directors for the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Nashville Sports Council, YWCA of Middle Tennessee, Harpeth Hall School, and The Family Center. She was named a 2019–20 fellow of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association’s executive leadership institute and is a graduate of the 2012 class of Leadership Nashville and the 2012 Vanderbilt Leadership Academy. In 2021, Lee received Peabody College’s Distinguished Alumna Award. Members of Vanderbilt’s student-athlete advisory committee awarded Lee their inaugural staff appreciation award in 2022 in recognition of her leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
During Lee’s time at Vanderbilt, Commodore teams won six national championships in baseball (two), bowling (three), and women’s tennis. Vanderbilt teams have also won over 20 conference championships and tournament titles, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, bowling, women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, and women’s tennis. Additionally, the football team has played in eight bowl games since breaking a 26-year bowl drought in 2008.
 
Vanderbilt student-athletes continue to succeed in the classroom under Lee’s leadership. The Spring 2026 semester marked the 33rd consecutive semester Vanderbilt student-athletes posted a cumulative GPA above 3.0 (3.45).

Donate

The Big Breakfast is more than just an event. 
It is an hour filled with real stories that show how mentorship can change a life. Guests are invited by Table Captains to attend and given the opportunity to financially invest in the mission of empowering young people in Middle Tennessee by igniting their potential. If you can’t join us on November 12th, you can still make a difference. Your gift helps us connect more kids with caring mentors who believe in them and their future.

 

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