Economic empowerment and business innovation can change lives, especially in communities that haven’t always had access to the same opportunities. When people are given tools and resources to grow their own businesses or take part in new ideas, they can build confidence and long-term success. My goal is to help underrepresented communities tap into that potential through sports where representation and access still have a long way to go. I am currently pursuing my master’s degree in Sports Studies & Sports Leadership at Texas Southern University where the program is rooted in the principles of sports management and business strategy. I see this as an opportunity for building a career focused on inclusive marketing, community outreach, and economic empowerment through sports. I’ve been playing golf since I was 11-years old and it is a sport where business happens. Golf is a social sport where its setting has provided opportunities, partnerships, and professional relationships. That’s part of why I believe it’s important to diversify the game and expose the sport to people from underserved communities; I believe that access to the game also means access to opportunities. When more people from underrepresented communities are included in that space, they gain a seat at the table in both sports and business. At the end of the day, picking up the sport provides limitless opportunities for athletic and professional development. My passion for this work began during my undergraduate studies, but was rooted through my experiences in golf. Growing up, I rarely saw people who looked like me on the course or in the industry itself. Oftentimes, I was the only Black girl on the golf course and that has always stuck with me. Interning with the USGA through their Pathways Internship Program gave me a closer look at the business side of the golf industry and how many opportunities there are but not enough people of diverse backgrounds are exposed to it. The program was designed to introduce students from underrepresented backgrounds to career paths in golf, and it showed me how powerful access is. Getting the chance to shadow media professionals who were telling meaningful stories made me realize that I could help lead that kind of change; not just through storytelling, but through business decisions that shape the industry. Through my experiences, my goal became to use my career to make sports industries such as golf more diverse, more accessible, and more equitable. I’ve also seen how change can begin at the local level. As a volunteer with the First Tee of Central Carolina and Guilford County Schools, I taught golf and life skills to elementary and middle school students in historically underserved parts of Greensboro, North Carolina. I witnessed how sports can build confidence and discipline, but also how they can open doors to bigger dreams like college, leadership roles, and careers within or beyond the sport. My long-term goal is work in sports business and media within the golf industry, creating campaigns and programs that uplift voices, and tells stories of individuals from diverse backgrounds that matter. Whether it’s amplifying minority-owned golf brands, promoting youth development programs, or celebrating culture and community through business partnerships, I want my work to make a difference. Business innovation to me means reimagining the way we connect, market, and lead. My focus will be on telling stories, and utilizing business strategy to open doors that have been historically closed, ensuring that opportunities remain accessible in golf for the next generation.

My name is Kennedi Lee, originally from Mansfield, Texas, I am a rising senior at North Carolina A&T State University and a member of the women’s golf team. Outside of being a collegiate golfer, on campus I am a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). As a member of SAAC, we give back by volunteering in the Greensboro community, supporting other sports, and serving as a representative for our sport to address needs and concerns from student-athletes. I have served as the representative for the women’s golf team on my campus since my sophomore year. I believe leadership and teamwork in my team and amongst all athletic teams at my university is important which is why I value being a SAAC representative. I am a mass communications student with a concentration in mass media production. I have always had an interest in storytelling and production, especially with photography and videography. My decision to pursue my education studying mass communication at a historically black university has been one of the most rewarding decisions I have ever made in my life. I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet and network with so many amazing black students and alums, it has allowed me to gain so much knowledge and insight in my collegiate career. My goal after graduation is to work in broadcasting or media production within the golf industry. African-Americans makeup only nine percent of the golf industry while women only makeup eight percent. There are very few African-Americans who makeup the workspace, let alone African-American women. Just how I have been able to be a representation of African-American women golfers on the collegiate level, I hope to do the same in the golf workspace. While in college, I have given back to my community through service, especially in golf. When I am home for the summer or winter break, I volunteer for the Mansfield Mission Center where they provide resources and necessities to those in need or underprivileged families and individuals in my community. I volunteer in the thrift store where I help organize, sort, and set clothing out in the store. I also volunteer for my junior golf coach where she teaches women of color how to play golf. I help set up and teach the sessions to extend the game to women of color as well as serving as an example as an African-American woman playing a sport dominated by white males on the collegiate level. I have also given back to the Greensboro community during my internship with The First Tee of Central Carolina, a non-profit organization devoted to growing the game to youth. We led summer golf camps and clinics teaching junior golfers of all ages and levels how to play and expanding their skills within the game. Interns were also a part of Campus Greensboro, an organization dedicated to helping college students prepare for their professional careers. Through Campus Greensboro we volunteered through different parts of Greensboro cleaning the community during the summer. Serving my community is important. I plan to continue giving back especially to the next generation of golfers of color, and be a resource for them. Being a recipient of The Hulede Collegiate Golf scholarship would help me reach my academic and athletic goals by relieving the financial barriers that exist. College expenses, including tuition, fees, gas, and other costs can add quickly and become substantial. Being awarded this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with pursuing a higher education as an out-of-state student. This would allow me to focus on my studies and athletics with a peace of mind without worrying about any possible financial strain. I also realize that being a recipient of this scholarship is a commitment to this scholarship foundation by being a representative of The Hulede Collegiate Golf scholarship’s missions and values. In the ways that this scholarship can impact me, I hope to impact the foundation and continue to inspire future generations of golfers to promote diversity and representation in golf. Nevertheless, I sincerely hope that I have been able to share a narrative of myself that shows I am a committed student-athlete on and off the course. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply to the Hulede Collegiate Golf Scholarship and appreciate any consideration of being a recipient.