Scholarships Leave a Lasting Legacy
On Thursday, April 24, 2025, the Shenandoah University School of Business marked a milestone with its fifth annual Legacy Golf Tournament at the Winchester Country Club. This student-led effort raised more than $92,500 for the Legacy Scholarship, a fund dedicated to empowering high-achieving, first-generation business students from the region.
Empowering Students Through Real-World Experience
The tournament was spearheaded by the Advanced Management Theory & Practice Class of 2025, known as the Legacy Business Class. Twenty-four students worked alongside 120 sponsors and donors to coordinate 33 teams, gaining invaluable experience in logistics, event planning, marketing, fundraising, and financial management.
As a result of this work, the Legacy Business Class awarded $25,000 in scholarships: $5,000 each to five outstanding business students. Among them was Andrea Suchite-Melendrez ’28 of Stephens City, Virginia, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in economics and finance. Her passion for financial systems and global markets fuels her vision to inspire future generations through mentorship, leadership, and community engagement.
“I decided to join Shenandoah University’s Legacy Business Class because of their powerful initiative to build a lasting legacy for future students and the community to build upon. This mission is deeply personal to me; as a scholarship recipient of last year’s Legacy Golf Tournament, I know firsthand the difference this support makes. As a first-generation Latina pursuing a business career, I am driven to help others in my community achieve their goals! My profound drive to give back to the community that invested in my future is what has brought me to this class. By organizing this year’s Legacy Golf Tournament, I am able to support the success of future students while simultaneously developing my own professional skills! This is a real-life experience that’ll bring me closer to my career goals! This is how we build a lasting legacy.” Andrea Suchite-Melendrez ’28
Building a Legacy of Impact
Since its founding in 2021, the Legacy Scholarship has awarded $42,500 to nine student recipients. This year’s event continued that tradition, reinforcing the program’s mission to combine academic excellence with meaningful community impact.
The Legacy Class of 2025 expressed heartfelt gratitude to sponsors and partners, including Winchester Printers (Legacy Scholarship Sponsor), Perry Engineering Company Inc. (Legacy Golf Tournament Sponsor), and Grace Care Consulting (Legacy Partner). Their support ensures the scholarship’s lasting influence on future business leaders.
Ron Hottle, president of Winchester Printers, said at the 2023 Legacy Golf Tournament, “supporting students anywhere in any adventure is great, but the fact that this Legacy tournament is supporting scholarships for our local kids is even greater.” Pictured right Chelsea Hester, Bill Casella ’04, Shine Tokas, Ron Hottle, Andrea Suchite-Melendrez, and Matthias Rivera
“It’s really not about the golf — it’s about the relationships,” said Mike Perry, vice president at Perry Engineering Company Inc. and current board of trustee member at Shenandoah.
Continuing the Tradition
Accredited by AACSB International, the Shenandoah University School of Business offers students a dynamic blend of academic programs, internships, study-abroad opportunities, mentorship, and leadership experiences. The Legacy Scholarship exemplifies this commitment, leaving a lasting legacy by opening doors for first-generation students to thrive and lead.To learn more about the Legacy Scholarship or to contribute, visit su.edu/legacygolf. For more information about the School of Business, visit su.edu/business.
