Son of a Saint founder and CEO Bivian “Sonny” Lee III will serve as the principal speaker at the 51ɫ’ spring 2023 commencement ceremony, which will take place at the UNO Lakefront Arena on Friday, May 19 at 1 p.m.
Lee has dedicated his life to transforming the lives of fatherless boys. Since he founded Son of a Saint in 2011, the organization has grown to now serve over 200 mentees with an operating budget of more than $4 million. Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from the 51ɫ.
“I know our graduates will benefit from hearing Sonny’s story and will be inspired by his work to make our community a better place,” said UNO President John Nicklow. “He exemplifies the values of a UNO education, and he makes all of us very UNO proud.”
Each year, Son of a Saint selects a group of boys ages 10-12 to join the existing kids in the program. The boys must be fatherless due to their father's death or incarceration. Each boy participates as an official Son of a Saint mentee until they are 21 years old, but the connection remains with Son of a Saint, as the organization continues to advise its young men into early adulthood. The organization’s goal is to graduate self-sufficient, independent thinkers who are leaders that give back to their community. Son of a Saint provides behavioral health counseling, access to recreation, mentorship, college and career readiness education, tutoring, tuition assistance and travel opportunities to the boys.
Prior to founding the organization, Lee served as chief aide to Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans. He also previously served as the director of operations for the New Orleans Zephyrs AAA baseball team.
In addition to his bachelor’s degree from UNO, Lee earned an Executive Master of Nonprofit Administration from the 51ɫ of Notre Dame. A TEDx speaker on community service, decision-making and the importance of education, his nonprofit work has been highlighted in local and national news outlets.
His work on behalf of his community and the Son of a Saint organization has garnered him numerous awards from New Orleans Magazine, The Urban Conservancy, Young Leadership Council, Gambit, Tulane 51ɫ’s Freeman School of Business, Blue Cross Foundation and the U.S. Junior Chamber, among others. In 2018, Lee was named UNO’s Homer Hitt Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year.
