Brandon Lee has never been a stranger to hard work, and those around him have taken note. A five-year member of Mizzou Football and two-year starter, Lee made the most of his time as a student-athlete, gaining real life experience at every turn. He used his voice as a student-athlete to empower those around him, even serving as one of the SEC's representatives at the NCAA Convention in early 2018, showing a work ethic and drive unlike any other, both on the field and in the classroom. Brandon Lee is a difference maker.

He has worked tirelessly during his time at Mizzou, and after playing an influential role in helping Mizzou to bowl eligibility in 2017, taking over as a starter as Mizzou made its late-season run. He continued in that role during his senior season in 2018, again earning a spot as a starter and helping lead Mizzou to bowl eligibility.

While he has dreams of pursuing an NFL career, Lee, a fifth-year senior, has also made it clear that his education is of the utmost importance to him in his pursuit of an MBA.

"The more you can do, the more you can play," Lee said. "The opportunities you have to be on the field to help your team. That's what I wanted to do, first and foremost, just be out there to contribute in any kind of way that I can. Blood sweat and tears all throughout the year. On the other side with my MBA, my academics have always been important to me."

With a degree in personal finance already attained during his time at Mizzou, Lee has been more than a student-athlete; he's been a model citizen, using his free time to contribute to the Columbia community as well. He has spent a considerable amount of time volunteering at events like National Student-Athlete Day with the Special Olympics of Mid-Missouri, Safe Kids Day and Big Brothers/Big Sisters Football Camp, and places like the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri. Lee has even paid visits to patients at the VA Hospital and MU Women's and Children's Hospital.

He has also made an impact on the campus community as well as a member of Mizzou's Student-Athlete Advisory council and Athletics' Tiger Leadership Institute.

Even with a schedule filled with classwork, workouts, and volunteering, Lee still finds time to pursue his passions.

"I've never been an arts and crafts type of guy. I can't really draw.  I've always been interested in pictures. I got a camera about two years ago, Nikon d71. People called me crazy for spending that much money on a camera, but photography was an interest of mine," Lee said.

For Lee, photography is something he can do to distract himself from upcoming due dates in class, daily workouts, and the stress of every day life, but it's also something he can share.

"Picture taking is something I can do by myself or I can do with a friend. Anybody that wants to tag along."

His work ethic on the field and in the classroom is also something that extends to his passions, when Lee does something, practice makes perfect.

 "That's been the whole process. The more I do it, the better I get"

His inspiration comes from his surroundings, whether it's the people in his life, his travels, or often a passing landscape. Yet until August, he had never photographed Faurot Field, the place he has worked so hard to leave a mark on and built so many memories at.

"By no means am I saying I'm a great photographer or anything like that, but I aspire to be one," says Lee.

But now, after checking boxes that include his undergraduate degree and Pro Day, photographing Faurot Field is now marked under Lee's list of accomplishments, and he is well on his way to checking many more.

He looks at photography in much the same way he does his academics, volunteering, and his love of football, as something to be worked on ceaselessly, in hopes that he makes a difference.

"The more time that I get to practice it the better I'll be," said Lee. "It's all like a puzzle and I don't know exactly how many people there are in the world, but I feel if I do my job and try to have an effect on others' lives, then that's my piece of the puzzle. The best I can do is have an effect on someone else."