Shenandoah University School Of Business Hosts Fifth Legacy Golf Tournament

The Shenandoah University School of Business hosted its fifth Legacy Golf Tournament on Thursday, April 24, at the Winchester Country Club, raising more than $92,500 for the Legacy Scholarship, which supports high-achieving, first-generation regional business students. 

This student-led event engaged 24 Legacy Business Class students, 120 sponsors and donors, and 33 teams, combining real-world business experience with meaningful impact. The Advanced Management Theory & Practice Class of 2025 — also known as the Legacy Business Class — awarded $5,000 to five outstanding recipients: 

• Kara Mondrone ’25, of Front Royal, Virginia, will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a sport management concentration. A transfer from Laurel Ridge Community College (LRCC), she aims to make a difference by telling her story. “As a woman in the sports industry, I hope to inspire others to pursue their dreams and break barriers in whatever fields they aspire to be in,” she said.
  
  
• Andrea Suchite-Melendrez ’28, of Stephens City, Virginia, is pursuing a BBA with an economics & finance concentration. She is developing expertise in economic analysis and financial planning with a strong interest in financial systems and global markets. She hopes to continue her legacy at Shenandoah by excelling academically while empowering others to embrace their unique identities, just as her parents did before her. Through mentorship, leadership, and community involvement, she aims to inspire future generations to dream big and carry forward the legacy of resilience, ambition, and cultural pride.
  
  
• Jacqueline (Jacky) Sanchez ’25, of Linden, Virginia, transferred from LRCC to Shenandoah in 2023, and will graduate in May with a BBA. For her, determination lies at the root of developing a legacy. “Legacy is not an inherited privilege but the perseverance required to build a new foundation for future generations,” said Sanchez, who recently completed a human resources internship at Valley Health.
  
  
• Katherine Weinhold ’25, of Winchester, Virginia, will graduate this May with a BBA with a management concentration and plans to earn a B.S. in psychology by December 2025. As an SU Honors Program participant, she serves as a student lead of Transfer Connection, where she mentors fellow transfer students and fosters a culture of belonging. Her legacy is giving back by guiding new transfer students, helping them feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.
  
  
• Wesley Pendzich ’26, of Stephens City, Virginia, serves as a student ambassador and indoor percussion tech. He believes legacy is built by leading by example and plans to graduate in May 2026 with a BBA with a concentration in management and a B.S. in psychology.  “It doesn’t matter what mark you leave but how it will positively impact others,” he said. “A true legacy is built through responsibility, kindness, and integrity — traits that bring people together and remind them they’re never alone.”

The Legacy Business Class utilizes the golf tournament as a model to engage students in real-world business experiences — from logistics, event planning, and marketing to one-on-one relationship development, financial planning and reconciliation, fundraising, project management, and more — all while fostering a legacy mindset grounded in purpose. 

“Five years ago, when we started the Legacy Class, we didn’t just want to teach business — we wanted to teach students how to lead with heart, think beyond themselves, and build something that would last long after graduation, said Chelsea Hester, adjunct instructor, SU trustee, School of Business executive in residence, Project MyVibe co-founder and legacy mindset impact and motivational speaker.

“The real magic is in what you can’t put on a check,” she continued. “It’s in students finding their voices for the first time. It’s in alumni returning, not because they have to, but because they want to. It’s businesses hiring our students, not for their grades, but for their grit, mindset, and leadership. It’s in a class that feels more like a movement — a network of people who believe business is a tool for impact.”

Hester co-leads the class alongside Anita Shull, School of Business Advisory Board member and executive in residence, executive consultant, and Project MyVibe partner; and Cathy Loranger, D. Prof., APR, public relations and executive communications consultant and adjunct assistant professor; along with a dedicated team of mentors, including Donny Miller, business process manager at American Woodmark Corporation, and Greeley Myers, Ed.D., SU’s assistant vice president for alumni relations and annual giving, and several other community leaders.

Since the inception of the School of Business Legacy Scholarship and annual Legacy Tournament in 2021, five legacy business classes have awarded $42,500 to nine student recipients.

The Legacy Class of 2025 extends a heartfelt thanks to all sponsors, donors, alumni, and mentors who supported this year’s class and the Legacy Golf Tournament, especially Legacy Scholarship Sponsor Winchester Printers, Legacy Golf Tournament Sponsor Perry Engineering Company Inc., and Legacy Partner Grace Care Consulting.

“We want to thank all community members and supporters who have participated and continue to support the Legacy Scholarship fund and class experience,” said Shull.

To learn more about the Legacy Scholarship or to donate, visit su.edu/legacygolf.

The Shenandoah University School of Business combines AACSB International-accredited programs with rich student-life activities, internships, study-abroad opportunities, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and leadership experiences. Learn more at su.edu/business/

Participating 2025 Legacy Class students include:

• Josh Boonshaft ’25 (BBA, business administration concentration)
• William Crowder ’25 (BBA, sport management concentration)
• Scott Fellin ’25 (BBA, business administration)
• Julianna (JuJu) Fohner ’25 (BBA, marketing concentration)
• Agata Gullace ’25 (BBA, management concentration, biology minor)
• Madison Hieber ’25 (BBA, sport management concentration)
• Austin Himes ’25 (BBA, business administration)
• Kayla Jenkins ’25 (BBA, sport management concentration and English minor)
• Alex Jordan, BBA (Audencia Business School, France), visiting exchange student
• Corey Kidwell ’25 (BBA, sport management concentration)
• Joshua Kirby ’25 (BBA, business administration)
• Nick Markovina ’25 (BBA, healthcare management concentration and biology minor)
• Mekhi Mims ’25 (BBA, accounting concentration)
• Ella Moore ’25 (BBA, healthcare administration concentration)
• Nichalas Mounkhaty ’25 (BBA, sport management concentration)
• Keith Orr ’25 (BBA, sport management concentration)
• Yennifer Reyes-Sanchez ’25 (BBA, business administration concentration)
• Jaden Roberts ’25 (BBA, business administration concentration)
• Connor Robles ’25 (BBA, sport management)
• Luisa Russo ’25 (BBA, digital marketing concentration)
• Alyssa Saum ’25 BBA, business administration concentration)
• Maggie Ubert ’25 (BS, psychology and entrepreneurship minor)
• Haley Van Voorhis ’25 (BBA, business administration concentration)
• Conner Walthall ’25 (BBA, entrepreneurship concentration)