The Shenandoah University School of Business hosted its fourth Legacy Golf Tournament on Thursday, May 9, at the Winchester Country Club to benefit the Shenandoah University School of Business Legacy Scholarship. More than 42 students, 100 sponsors and donors, and 31 teams participated in this year’s tournament, which netted more than $90,000 for the Legacy Scholarship.
The Legacy Scholarship is an endowed scholarship that benefits first-generation, regionally located students studying business at Shenandoah University. This year, the Advanced Management Theory Class of 2024 (Legacy Class) presented two scholarships of $5,000 each to two high-achieving business students.
2024 Legacy Scholarship recipient Adriana Arauz Ponce de Leon ’25 and her family.
Third-year business student Adriana Arauz Ponce de Leon ’25, of Winchester, Virginia, is the first recipient of this year’s Legacy Scholarship. She is working toward a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in accounting. She is a work-study student at Shenandoah University’s Brandt Student Center, where she works closely with the Office of Student Leadership & Development. Outside of her university studies, she has served as a youth leader at the Winchester Church of God, and she was active in several high school leadership roles, including the Redbud Run Mentorship Program, Key Club, and the Future Business Leaders of America.
Legacy to me means creating enduring, positive change that continues to inspire and empower, long after my involvement has ended. As a first-generation college student from a Hispanic and low-income background, my journey at Shenandoah has inspired me with a deep sense of responsibility to assist others facing similar challenges.”
2024 Legacy Golf Tournament Recipient Adriana Arauz Ponce de Leon ’25, BBA/Accounting
She plans to intern this summer with Opportunity Scholars and study abroad in Nantes, France.
“This is an opportunity I once thought was beyond my reach,” she said. “This experience exemplifies the type of opportunities that can seem inaccessible to students from backgrounds like mine. It has taught me the transformative power of reaching out, asking questions, and leveraging the support systems available [to me].”
2024 Legacy Scholarship recipient Emma Thompson and her family.
Second-year business student Emma Thompson ’26, of Middletown, Virginia, is the second recipient of the 2024 Legacy Scholarship. She is working toward a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in marketing and is also a member of this year’s Legacy Class. Over the past two years, Thompson has served as a work-study student for Shenandoah University Athletics, assisting the marketing coordinator with various tasks, including social media, communication, and teamwork.
“I always try to be active in class discussions, offering assistance to classmates when needed,” she said. “I’m part of the Legacy Class, where I’ve gained valuable experience in the business world, learning about networking and building connections.”
Thompson said the people who have left a lasting legacy in her life – her family, her travel volleyball coach, and her mentors at SU – are “just ordinary people who believe in the work they do.”
She hopes to impact women within the sports industry, coaching volleyball (hopefully at the college level), and supporting female athletes of any age through wins and losses.
I want to be an ordinary person who makes a difference and cares about people. That is the legacy I hope to leave behind.”
2024 Legacy Golf Tournament Recipient Emma Thompson ’26, BBA/Marketing
The Legacy Class of 2024 wishes to thank all the sponsors and donors who supported this year’s tournament, especially Legacy Tournament Sponsor Perry Engineering Company Inc. and Legacy Scholarship Sponsor Winchester Printers.
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 and entrepreneurship experiences, and leadership opportunities. Learn more at su.edu/business/
