UVA Darden Student Mqondisi Ndlovu Wins Global Leadership Award

University of Virginia Darden School of Business student Mqondisi Ndlovu (Class of 2025) was honored with the Lemuel E. Lewis Bicentennial Award for Global Leadership, the School announced during a special First Coffee on 23 April.

Ndlovu, who has lived in five countries across three continents, has shown a strong commitment to inclusiveness and leadership within the Darden community. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude. This is an incredible privilege,” he said upon receiving the award. He spoke about Darden’s supportive environment, noting, “This is the best community that motivates, challenges but also supports me on a daily basis.”

The award selection process is student-led, involving a committee of student leaders from affinity clubs and supervised by faculty and staff. This year, the committee reviewed 70 applications before selecting Ndlovu. “Selecting just one of them to be the recipient was incredibly difficult for our committee, as all are deserving and accomplished,” said last year’s award recipient, Fehin Ibiloye (Class of 2024), who explained the process during the announcement.

Ndlovu’s global perspective and ethical values were key factors in his selection. His commitment to mentoring high school students to become chartered accountants highlighted his dedication to creating socio-economic opportunities through education. “His career aspirations are similarly rooted in a desire to give back and create pathways for others to succeed,” Ibiloye added.

The award is named after Lem Lewis (MBA ’72), a significant donor to and supporter of the School. Lewis, who has served continuously in various capacities since graduation, attended the ceremony and received applause for his contributions. “Mr. Lewis, sir, you have given so much to Darden over the years, not just through this scholarship but through your time as well,” Ndlovu said in his speech.

Lewis is a member of the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees and a former member of the UVA Board of Visitors. He has also received the Charles C. Abbott Award, the highest honor for a Darden graduate, and is a member of the Principal Donors Society, which recognizes the School’s most loyal stewards.

Dean Scott Beardsley emphasized the award’s significance during the event: “This award is so much more than financial support. It represents the values we hold dear at Darden. It celebrates students dedicated to increasing inclusiveness among various economic, political, religious and social groups. The recipients of this award are role models for their peers, embodying the ethics, dedication and global consciousness that define the Darden experience.”

In closing, Ndlovu expressed his gratitude and vision for the future: “Today, you plant a seed in me, Mr. Lewis. I am committed to embodying the values of this scholarship and the Darden community as a whole, to give back this incredible generosity that you have given over the years… Thank you to all the alums that keep supporting the Darden community and paving the way for us. Most of us are here today because we have managed to stand on the shoulders of giants — and for that, we are eternally grateful.”

To establish an endowed scholarship, please contact Deputy Vice President for Advancement Samantha Hartog at +1-434-981-4025 or HartogS@darden.virginia.edu.

Learn more about Lem Lewis’ journey from scholarship recipient to donor: