The Breakfast with Fred Leadership Institute recently completed a two-day visit on April 12-13 to the A.P. White Campus of Lindsey Wilson College. Nineteen business leaders met with more than 800 students during various meetings and events with the goal of fostering leadership, sharing the importance of faith and helping students to achieve balance in their lives.
Brenda Smith, CEO of Breakfast with Fred and daughter of the late Fred Smith, Sr., first brought her group of volunteers to Lindsey Wilson College in 2011. While she was happy with their visit in 2011, she was excited with what she considers a greater outreach and communication between her group and the students of Lindsey Wilson College during this most recent visit.
“The thing that was very clear to me during this visit is how clear and intentional these students are about making a difference in the world,” said Smith. “I’m so impressed with the students and the attitude that I’ve seen. Our hearts were ready to begin conversations and create connections, and in listening to them we found a depth that I certainly didn’t have at that age. Their focus and the serious response to life were very encouraging.”
Breakfast with Fred team members connected with students during events ranging from classroom discussions, a nursing panel, mock interviews, and a student-athlete meeting, among others. Denise Fudge, Vice President for Educational Outreach and Student Financial Services, remarked on the success of the two-day visit. Fudge stated that the Breakfast with Fred Leadership Institute chose to visit Lindsey Wilson College again because the institute and the college share a similar vision.
“Their mission of blessing and stretching leaders is very similar to our mission,” said Fudge. “It was amazing to see how so many students were touched by the great people from Breakfast with Fred. Many of our students have gained professional relationships with Christian men and women who can become their mentors and celebrate their successes in life.”
Ashley Miller, Director of Career Services at Lindsey Wilson College, also expressed her thoughts about the visit.
“The folks from Breakfast with Fred are leaders from a lot of different types of businesses and organizations,” said Miller. “So what our students gained was a different perspective from what they normally get every day from the faculty and staff on our campus.”
After the last event on the Breakfast with Fred schedule on Wednesday night, Ron Cunningham, a Breakfast with Fred team member, summed up his experience.
“The interaction with the students, faculty and staff has just been a delightful experience,” said Cunningham. “We came to be a blessing but we were stretched also. We live in a dark world and seeing the light that Lindsey Wilson College has shined back at us has been so encouraging and helps to give us hope in what were are doing.”
For more information about the Breakfast with Fred institute, visit www.breakfastwithfred.com
