Pasadena Community Foundation Awards Inaugural Leola Sudduth and Thomas Foster Kennedy Scholarship

On April 24, the Pasadena Community Foundation, a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of Pasadena, announced Eloheem Mahone as the first recipient of the Leola Sudduth and Thomas Foster Kennedy Scholarship. The $20,000 award, payable over four years, is given to an outstanding college-bound African American young person in the Pasadena area.

Established in 2014 by the late Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy and his nine siblings, the scholarship honors their parents’ legacy and commitment to the community. 

Following Councilmember Kennedy’s passing in 2022, the scholarship now also serves as a tribute to his own dedication to Pasadena.

Eloheem Mahone, known as “El,” is graduating from John Muir Early Magnet High School with a 3.97 GPA and 23 units completed at Pasadena City College. He has received more than 10 college acceptances and plans to study social and behavioral science at UCLA this fall. 

El plans to leverage his athletic background to contribute to mental health research on reducing athlete burnout.

Since middle school, El has participated in various programs that have strengthened his skills and confidence, including STEAM-CODERS, Caltech Y’s Rise Program, and the Hidden Genius Intensive Immersion Program. He also spent four years involved with MPYD (Mentoring & Partnership for Youth Development), a nonprofit program that serves male youth from John Muir High School. 

His mother, Natasha Mahone, credits his academic success to these programs and his Caltech tutor, Kyle.

Despite being diagnosed with dyslexia in 8th grade, El embraced it as a source of strength. 

“I enrolled in specialized programs and sought out educational resources tailored to my learning needs,” he said. “It encouraged me to think creatively and develop problem-solving skills that have proven valuable in my academic and personal life.”

After four years as Muir’s Varsity lefty pitcher, El aspires to play baseball at the collegiate level while majoring in psychology. 

“I am not just an athlete or a scholar, but an intersection of both. I am excited to embark on this journey,” he said.

Lena Kennedy, sister of the late Councilmember John J. Kennedy, expressed great happiness in Eloheem becoming the first recipient of the scholarship. 

“We are confident that Eloheem’s promising future will beautifully mirror and uphold the legacy of excellence, learning, and community service cherished by my parents and my brother,” she said.

The Pasadena Community Foundation manages more than $161 million in charitable assets and works with individuals, families, and organizations to establish philanthropic funds and distribute grants to nonprofit organizations. In 2023, PCF awarded $2.6 million in grants to more than 100 Pasadena-area nonprofits and supported over 150 students through its scholarship funds.

For more, visit https://pasadenacf.org/