2023 Annual Report

1996 National Champion and MVP Lady Vol Michelle Marciniak, CSPS Founder and Director Sarah Hillyer, and M.A.*stand in front of the Pat Summit statue on UT's campus. M.A. is one of the 13 Afghan athletes who have legally resettled as refugees in Knoxville. Learn more about M.A.’s journey via the timeline starting on page 6. *Name withheld for security purposes | Photo Credit: Stephen Bridges, The University of Tennessee

LETTER FROM

THE DIRECTOR Dear Friends,

Just like that……2023 is gone and 2024 is upon us! We don’t know about you, but our year was full of ups and downs, including moments of unexpected losses and dance-worthy celebrations. Yet, when we stepped back and reflected on the 11th year of the UT Center for Sport, Peace & Society, we couldn’t be more grateful, hopeful, or excited for what lies ahead!

As you’ll read throughout the pages of our 2023 Annual Report, we’re celebrating the superheroes we call partners, alumni, mentors, teamies, and our newest CSPS family members – 13 Afghan athletes, coaches, and family members.

Due to the intensity and gravity of the Afghan project, cleverly named “Operation Hoops” by our partner Mara Gubuan (founder of Equality League),

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we dedicate a large portion of our annual report to telling their story, including a timeline documenting their courageous escape from the Taliban and eventual resettlement in Knoxville, Tennessee.

You’ll be introduced to Mara’s heroic efforts, which are peppered throughout the text and images dedicated to Operation Hoops. Mara is a long-time friend and sporty-spice colleague who has created an advocacy agency dedicated to helping athletes understand, stand up for and speak out about their human rights.

She is clever and relentless, even when she’s tired and overwhelmed. I would be remiss if I didn’t shine a spotlight on Mara’s leadership and dedicated involvement in all things Operation Hoops.

She provided us the privilege and opportunity to play a role in her efforts to safeguard and save the lives of Afghan women’s basketball players, which includes one male coach and one family of four. We are grateful that she entrusted us to become such a key partner and are happy to report that our tagline, “Social Change is Team Sport,” has never been more meaningful.

Sticking with Operation Hoops for just a moment longer, I’d be super remiss if I didn’t mention the incredible wisdom, humility and commitment of Dr. David Bassett (retired Department Head of UT Kinesiology, Recreation & Sports Studies).

Dr. Bassett has volunteered countless hours and resources to meet the needs of the Afghans once they arrived in Knoxville.

His heart is huge and his skills are off the charts. We would not have been able to do this without his leadership and dedication.

Thank you, Dr. Bassett!

Moving past the story of Operation Hoops, you’ll read about the incredible work that Dr. C, Morgan, Rainey, and Jonah carried on while my focus was shared elsewhere.

I cannot even begin to express how proud and grateful I am for each of them! Dr. C has emerged this year as a force of leadership and continues to show up in all the ways our team and communities of mentors, alumni, and partners need.

Morgan has danced with grace in the delicate balance of becoming a new mom and continuing her career with absolute excellence and integrity. Rainey retired from her “real job” and immediately started leading all things GSMP programmatic, logistical, and financial. Jonah continues to grow and make meaningful contributions, under the thoughtful tutelage of Dr. C.

Table of Contents 4 6 10 12 14 18 20 23

Highlights Global Advocacy & Service Educational Programs Feature Story Academic Engagement Partners & Networks Global Footprint Finances

I say it often and I never mean it any less: I am the luckiest person in the world to get to work with this team of selfless, kind, thoughtful, hard-working, and professional humans. I am truly grateful to work alongside each of you!

And speaking of gratitude, I am so thankful for each of you – our global tribe of sporty change-makers and much-needed-at-times cheerleaders.

You keep us grounded and encouraged, believing that one high five at a time, we really can change the world together! We hope you enjoy a look at our past year together! Let’s do it again in 2024, shall we?

Hugs and high-fives,

Sarah J. Hillyer, PhD Founder and Director Center for Sport, Peace & Society University of Tennessee

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2023 HIGHLIGHTS Dr. Sarah was named the recipient of the 2023 Pat Summitt Ignite Greatness Award by the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.

Advocated for the successful resettlement of 13 Afghan athletes and raised approximately $13,000 to support educational and sport opportunities.

RECEIVED THE PAT SUMMITT IGNITE GREATNESS AWARD

RECOGNIZED GLOBALLY AS LEADERS IN THE SPORTS DIPLOMACY SECTOR

500+ HOURS OF ADVOCACY WORK

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210 EDUCATIONAL HOURS DELIVERED

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Organized and facilitated 210 educational hours virtually and in-person for 127 students and alumni from 52 countries.

Invited by the Taiwan Sport Forward Association to participate in the first-ever global summit in Taiwan focused on gender equity and sport diplomacy.

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MILLION

COUNTRIES

PARTNERS

With confirmation of grant funding through 2024, the CSPS has been awarded $15 million to leverage sport and education as tools to advance equity, inclusion and peace.

Since 2012, the CSPS has worked with individuals in 105 countries to create more stable, equitable, and inclusive communities.

In 2023, the CSPS team worked with 178 partners—locally and globally—to implement our programs and activities.

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To build a global team of partners working to provide innovative sportbased and educational solutions to solve some of the world's most pressing social challenges.

SOCIAL CHANGE IS A TEAM SPORT Uniquely-situated at a Research I institution, the CSPS is a social enterprise committed to creating a more peaceful, equitable, and inclusive world through sportbased innovation and education.

We offer global leaders the tools needed to make a positive difference in their communities—from grassroots levels to governance—and help spark social progress, locally and abroad, through leadership programs, international outreach, storytelling projects, and scholarly research, all in pursuit of global solidarity.

To create a more peaceful, equitable, and inclusive world through sport and education.

Through our unique, intersectional pedagogy and multidisciplinary approach, we leverage the lessons inherent in sport, education, and entrepreneurship to produce scholarly outputs, share stories of progress, and empower international changemakers in more than 100 countries.

The primary beneficiaries of our work are women and girls, persons with disabilities, youth, refugees, marginalized populations, practitioners, advocates, and students.

Although our director has worked in the field of Sport for Development and Peace for nearly 30 years, the CSPS was officially founded in 2012. Soon after, we were awarded the inaugural Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP) cooperative agreement through the U.S. Department of State. Since then, we’ve been awarded nearly $15 million to promote gender equality and disability rights on a global scale.

A people-first approach that values the dignity of every human being through intentionality, flexibility, humility, honesty, and selfless service to others.

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GLOBAL SERVICE & ADVOCACY Over the past two years we have dedicated more than 1,000 hours advocating for and working towards the successful and legal resettlement of Afghan women‘s basketball players and coaches who fled for their lives after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The only “crimes” attributed to these courageous young women were: Being a woman Being a female athlete or women’s coach Wanting to pursue an education When our friend and partner Mara Gubuan, founder of Equality League, reached out to us in December 2021, we knew we had to help. Thus, Operation Hoops began.

Alongside many others, we have worked to help these women begin to rebuild their lives and fulfill their dreams for a better future. As of July 2023, we assisted Equality League in the resettlement of 13 Afghan women’s basketball players, one coach and one family to Knoxville, Tennessee.

We’re so very grateful that our efforts to sponsor them here in Knoxville were recognized by the International Office of Migration and our local resettlement agency, Bridge. We are also beyond grateful for the kindness and professionalism of Knoxville Internationals Network (KIN) and the generous souls they mobilized to serve as Second Home Families. THANK YOU to everyone who has partnered with us on this journey!

AUGUST - DECEMBER 2021

In August 2021, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan two decades after being removed from power by a US-led military coalition. Under their harsh rule, the Taliban has targeted women, journalists, and educators, among others.

Thirteen women’s basketball players, coaches and a few family members risked their lives and escaped on an evacuation plane to Qatar.

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Players received visa verification letters from Canada to resettle there and work toward reunification with their families left behind. Without explanation, Canada rescinded the group’s visa verification letters leaving everyone stranded. It is at this point that Equality League intervened.

The group departed the Qatari refugee camp after approximately one month and were relocated to a refugee camp for Afghans in Albania.

Dr. Sarah and Michelle Marciniak lead basketball clinics in Albania.

Social media campaign to support the resettlement of Afghan athletes.

DECEMBER 2021 Mara Gubuan, founder of Equality League (EQL), contacted Dr. Sarah to ask for help. Prior to this, no other entity responded to EQL’s request for support and collaboration.

Those entities will remain unnamed for the protection of everyone involved in Operation Hoops.

MAY 2022 Dr. Sarah traveled to Albania for a second time to lead basketball clinics and support English language learning, computer literacy courses, healthcare, and friendly basketball matches with local Albanian teams.

Michelle Marciniak joined efforts to assist with basketball clinics. Additionally, Dr. Sarah, Michelle, and Denisa Beshqemi (CSPS alumna) worked with Mara Gubuan (EQL) to create an aggressive advocacy campaign for the legal resettlement of 13 female athletes in Knoxville.

FEBRUARY 2022 Dr. Sarah traveled to Albania to meet the group of basketball players and learn more about their families, stories, hopes, and dreams.

During this trip, she led basketball clinics and worked alongside Denisa Beshqemi (’19 CSPS alumna from Albania) to provide computers, notebooks, pens, healthcare, and opportunities to train and play basketball with local Albanian schools and teams. In addition, filmmaker Anna Spellman started documenting the young Afghans’ stories.

Anna Spellman, Dr. Sarah, and Denisa Beshqemi together in Albania.

Also in February, Michelle Marciniak (’96 Lady Vol Basketball National Champion and MVP) contacted Dr. Sarah to offer her support of the Afghan women’s basketball group.

Upon Dr. Sarah’s return to Knoxville, she met with Michelle to plan a strategy to advocate for the legal resettlement of the group as refugees to Knoxville, Tennessee.

Dr. Sarah leading basketball clinics with Afghan athletes in Albania.

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Afghan athletes flex while standing on a beach overlooking the ocean in Albania.

Volunteers, including UTK Vice Provost Gretchen Neisler, organized a donation drive collecting household items, clothes, and furniture.

APRIL 2023

JUNE ‘22 - FEBRUARY ‘23 Advocacy efforts continued with the International Office of Migration, led by Equality League & Mara Gubuan.

Communications outreach began to mobilize volunteers and local partners to support the young women upon arrival.

Thanks to the incredible kindness and leadership of Dr. David Bassett (retired UT Department Head of Kinesiology, Recreation and Sports Studies), we secured enough household and hygiene items to completely outfit homes for all 13 Afghan athletes.

Dr. Bassett agreed to serve in a key role managing the set up of apartments and houses for each of the Afghans upon arrival. We could NOT have done any of this without him!

A fundraising campaign commenced to support educational and sports opportunities for Afghan athletes. It was important for us to help set these women up for success and provide opportunities for them to thrive upon their arrival to Knoxville.

MARCH 2023 On March 8, in celebration of International Women’s Day, the CSPS organized an event, “Journey to Safety: The Evacuation and Resettlement of Afghan Women Athletes.”

Ms. Samira Asghari, Afghan Member of the International Olympic Committee, was the featured speaker.

More than 75 members of the UTK and Knoxville communities attended the presentation. Local media covered the event and supported efforts to inform the Knoxville community about ways they could get involved to welcome the Afghan athletes and coaches.

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Afghan sisters at a Lady Vol softball game.

MAY 2023 On May 4, the first two Afghan athletes (the only sisters of the group, and its youngest members) arrived in Knoxville. These women, aged 17 and 21 started classes at the UT English Language Institute (ELI) at no cost thanks to the generosity and kindness of UTK Vice Provost Gretchen Neisler, Interim Director of ELI Em Chitty, and ELI Senior Teaching Associate Doug Terry.

Dr. Sarah, Mara Gubuan, and Michelle Marciniak greet eight Afghan athletes at the Knoxville airport.

JUNE 2023 Between June 9 and June 23, five Afghan athletes (21-25 years-old) and one Afghan male coach (36 years-old) arrived in Knoxville, Tennessee. The coach unfortunately had to leave his wife and newborn twins in Afghanistan.

Equality League and Dr. Bassett began to actively look for an immigration attorney to help the coach get his family to Knoxville.

Everyone immediately started English language classes at UT ELI. Part-time jobs started for almost everyone thanks to the YMCA and kind Knoxville citizens offering the group temporary work opportunities.

The final group arrives in Knoxville, a family of four.

JULY 2023

AUGUST 2023

On July 19, the last of the Afghan refugees, a family of four, arrived in Knoxville. The wife/mother, who is a basketball player and Kabul University professor, was able to resettle with her husband, 3-year-old son, and 11-monthold daughter, who was born in the Albanian refugee camp. Also in July, nine of the Afghans successfully completed their English Language summer course!

Nearly all of the Afghan adults began full-time jobs. Some at Aramark food services on campus and others at Yassin’s Falafel House, a local restaurant.

Nine Afghans celebrating their successful completion of the English Language summer course through the ELI.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

PLAYING FOR A PURPOSE Javed Choudhari, a participant in the 2023 U.S. Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP), is focused on increasing accessibility for people with disabilities in India. As a member of India’s national wheelchair basketball team, Javed is working to create sustainable sport systems for people with disabilities throughout his country.

During the GSMP, Javed was mentored

by Cezar Olivas at the University of Texas, Arlington (UTA). In August 2023, Javed began the Master of Public Health program at UTA and was offered a full scholarship to play wheelchair basketball with the Movin’ Mavs.

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GLOBAL SPORTS MENTORING PROGRAM In April-May 2023, we hosted the U.S. Department of State GSMP: Sport for Community to empower international leaders in the field of disability sport. The 18 participants represented 15 countries and included elite athletes, rehabilitation specialists, and adaptive sports community directors. New this year, we partnered with TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas and the Houston Sports Authority to host orientation week. Twelve organizations served as mentoring sites for the 2023 program.

GSMP: Sport for Community participants, TIRR Memorial Hermann, and the UT CSPS team flex for a photo at the Houston Sports Authority.

U.S. Department of State and espnW GSMP participants pose for a group photo at Hotel Zena in Washington, D.C.

In October-November 2023, we implemented the U.S. Department of State and espnW GSMP, focused on empowering women through sport.

Sixteen women from 16 countries participated in the 5-week mentorship program and crafted action plans detailing how they will use sport to address a pressing social issue facing women and girls in their community. In total, 16 organizations participated as mentor sites.

2023 participant Natasha Chileshe (Zambia) with her mentor, Marcia Berger at the Tucson Jewish Community Center.

2023 participant Gabrielle Apelu (Samoa) with her mentors, Rob Davis, Nicole Ledvina, and Chris Cohorst at the Green Bay Packers.

100%

85%

76%

Report being more prepared to use sport as a tool to positively impact their communities

Action plan implementation rate

Percentage of action plans with youth as the main benefactors

VIRTUAL LEARNING This year we organized 210 educational hours by delivering three Bootcamps — virtual learning workshops — designed to meet the professional development needs of the CSPS alumni community. We partnered with faculty from Babson College and University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business, social and traditional entrepreneurs, and sports diplomacy experts to engage and equip 92 alumni from 47 countries.

Jules and Lane Morris from UT’s Haslam College of Business facilitated a virtual workshop for the Social Entrepreneurship Bootcamp.

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FROM TEXAS TO NEPAL

By Grace Litzinger (CSPS student intern) As the nation’s first rehabilitation doctor, Raju Dhakal is bringing adaptive care to historically excluded populations in Nepal. It’s a life’s work that’s also deeply personal. Dr. Raju spent several years without medical treatment after contracting polio as a two-year-old, which resulted in the partial paralysis of his legs. Eventually, he was brought to SOS Children’s Center in Sanothimi, Nepal where he received therapy and continued his studies.

It was at the center, playing hand football and table tennis with friends who became family, where Dr. Raju realized the capacity of sport for physical, social, and academic empowerment. “If I win in the activities, it gives me confidence in my education as well” he said of that formative experience. “Sports and education are complementary to each other.” That confidence translated outside of sports, and Dr. Raju went on to earn his Doctorate of Medicine in Physical Rehabilitation, specializing in care for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Dr. Raju’s subsequent work with the Nepali Paralympic Committee and the National Physical Disabled Table Tennis Association enabled him to emerge as a leading voice in adaptive sport advocacy.

He was appointed by the US Embassy in 2020 to participate in the GSMP: Sport for Community Program.

For the mentorship program, Dr. Raju was paired with Peggy Turner, Adapted Sports Coordinator, and Marcie Kern, researcher and physical therapist at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas.

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Amid challenges of the pandemic, the team managed to establish and sustain a meaningful connection until Dr. Raju could safely participate in the in-person program three years later, in 2023.

While in Houston, Dr. Raju attended the US national wheelchair rugby tournament, an eye-opening experience. He met players like Steve Kearley who demonstrated that individuals with quadriplegic paralysis—a demographic historically excluded in Nepali healthcare—could participate in sport and society. As Dr. Raju conceived strategies for his action plan upon his return, cultural barriers prevented Peggy and Marcie from understanding his context and resources.

What better way to collaborate, he thought, than to host the team in Nepal?

As the GSMP program came to a close, Dr. Raju felt that in order for the team to fully understand his medical and social context, his mentors needed to experience Nepal for themselves. “Then,” he thought, “it will be a true exchange.”

When Peggy, Marcie, and Steve arrived in Nepal in August of 2023, they were instantly met with hospitality and enthusiasm by Dr. Raju and his team at the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center.

Throughout their visit, the group conferred with a variety of community leaders, including key personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, about plans for the expansion of accessible tourism throughout the nation.

The team also hosted the nation’s firstever wheelchair rugby demonstration, which Steve and Dr. Raju participated in.

“Steve was the perfect match to go with us” Marcie said. “As a quadriplegic rugby player, it was amazing to see the patients

realize, ‘oh, this is something that I could actually do’!” Between advocacy and play, the group enjoyed time with Dr. Raju’s family. “I felt guilty” he laughed, “I kept them so busy.”

Inspired by the positive change in the United States after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, Dr. Raju hopes to see similar policies enacted for the inclusion of Nepalis with disabilities within society. The team continues to learn from one another, even while across the globe. “I know this is not the end” Dr. Raju emphasized. As he works to provide inclusive care and improved infrastructure, Dr. Raju continues to pave the way for new possibilities in Nepal.

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ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT INSPIRING A NATION In May, the CSPS team traveled to Taipei, Taiwan to support and contribute to Taiwan’s first-ever sports diplomacy and gender focused conference. The Sports Diplomacy: Taiwan-USA Collaboration on Building the Asia-Pacific Gender Equality in Sports Exchange Platform was organized and co-hosted by the founder and Executive Director of the Taiwan Sport Forward Association Po-Chun Liu (pictured here). Liu is an alumna of the 2017 CSPSled GSMP. The event was a two-day examination of how different types of sports diplomacy can help promote greater gender equality.

Taiwan President Ing-Wen Tsai opened the proceedings and handed out the honors at the first-ever Women in Sport International Photography Awards.

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ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP This year, we’ve had the privilege of sharing our knowledge, experience, and expertise with students, teachers, politicians, athletes, researchers, community workers and activists. Incorporating our findings into creating innovative programs, sharing key lessons with global and local audiences, and working to make life and lives better illustrate how our engaged scholarship continues to impact the world.

Here are a few notable examples:

SPORT FOR GOOD AT THE HAGUE

STORIES THAT EDUCATE & INSPIRE

In March, we partnered with US Embassy The Hague, Netherlands to work side-byside with several organizations — Anne Frank House, Under Armour, Pride and Sports, War Child Foundation, YETS Foundation, Human Kind City, and the Dutch football association (KNVB) — to promote sport for social good and to assist in forward-thinking work.

Also in March, we traveled to Nashville for an inspirational day with our sporty partners at Belmont University. Students shared their impressions of our book, Strong Women. Better World: Title IX’s Global Effect.

SPORTS DIPLOMACY IN TAIWAN In Taiwan, we participated in the Sports Diplomacy: Taiwan-USA Collaboration on Building the AsiaPacific Gender Equality in Sports Exchange Platform, the country’s first-ever sports diplomacy and gender focused conference. As invited speakers and panelists, our team inspired participants to reimagine the interplay between Sports Diplomacy and Sport for Development and Peace to maximize limited resources and leverage our strengths for social change. Other speakers included the U.S. Ambassador to Belize and sports diplomacy champion Michelle Kwan, former Director of Media Affairs for the IOC, academics, and award-winning sport journalists.

INVITED WORKSHOPS & PODCASTS Monitoring and Evaluation Best Practices Webinar with the US Department of State Pre-Conference Workshop with the National Council for the Social Studies Featured Guest on Inspira Podcast

THOUGHT PIECES “Where You Might Find Your Next Leader” "What to do When Conflict Arises and Diplomacy Fails" “The Insider’s Scoop! How to Build a Sports Diplomacy Initiative: Notes from the Field” "Authentic, Intentional Relationships Are Foundational to Building and Sustaining Partnerships"

MENTORING STUDENTS We continue to be committed to mentoring a diverse group of students and to providing students meaningful experiences that help them reach their personal and professional goals.

Here are highlights from two students we mentored in 2023, thanks to the fantastic leadership of Dr. C!

Grace Litzinger

Kat Creveling

2023 CSPS Student Intern

2020-2023 CSPS Student Intern

Grace is an undergraduate student-athlete at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Throughout her time with the CSPS, Grace has played an instrumental role as a writer and editor.

See the story she wrote on page 12!

As a CSPS student intern, Kat contributed to a variety of projects including: curriculum development, storytelling and press releases, research, and disability awareness trainings.

Kat began working with us as an undergraduate student, and is now pursuing her PhD at Old Dominion University.

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COMMUNITY RESEARCH There isn’t a mountain that Ilina Arsova (CSPS Class of 2012) cannot master. The first North Macedonian woman to scale the world’s seven summits, artist extraordinaire, and PhD student at UT-Knoxville continuously takes our breath away with her drive, dedication, and real-world impact across numerous fields.

In July 2023, Ilina traveled to Bolivia to work alongside fellow CSPS alumna Pina Pozo (Class of 2017), where the two introduced climbing sports to women as a way to build their self esteem.

With grant funds from the GSMP (distributed by the CSPS), the two held nine events for roughly 300 participants. Activities included a hiking trip for women, introducing climbing to first-timers, and video presentations and panel discussions.

Ilina also conducted research in Bolivia on indigenous women mountaineers in the Bolivian Andes and their identities as mountaineers and mountain guides. One of her focus points, La Cholitas, are indigenous women dressed in traditional clothes who mountain climb and were the first to ascend to the peak of Aconcagua, one of the highest peaks in South America. Mentored

by Dr. C, Ilina presented this research at the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) in November. High fives, Ilina!!

Ilina Arsova UT PhD Student & 2012 CSPS alumna

SEED FUNDING FOR ALUMNI In 2023, 43 alumni from 21 countries were awarded small grants, totaling $95,000. This funding helps alumni launch and implement their action plans: sport-based, socially innovative business plans designed to empower women and girls, people with disabilities, or other marginalized groups.

Western Hemisphere 28%

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION

South Central Asia 12% North Africa & Middle East 5%

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Africa (Sub-Saharan) 33%

East Asia & the Pacific 5% Europe & Eurasia 17%

“You will gain insight and the urgency to act.”

Sue Equist Former UCLA Softball Coach, 27 years

“A must read.”

Julie Foudy Former Captain USA Women’s Soccer

PARTNERS & NETWORKS

BRINGING SEOUL TO KNOXVILLE Dr. Jason Scott, Associate Professor in the Kinesiology, Recreation and Sports Studies Department, and Seok hyun Kim, CSPS alumni from South Korea, give us their best flexies on the University of Tennessee campus. Dr. Jason served as Seokhyun’s mentor for the 2023 U.S. Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program. The CSPS continues to cultivate partnerships across campus to serve the university and local and global communities.

In 2023, the CSPS team worked with 178 partners to implement our programs and activities.

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2023 GLOBAL SPORTS MENTORING PROGRAM PARTNERS

Dr. David Bassett and his wife, Laura.

CSPS Volunteer of the Year

CSPS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR We are proud to recognize Dr. David Bassett as the CSPS Volunteer of the Year!

Dr. Bassett has been deeply involved in the Afghan athletes’ resettlement process in Knoxville. Recently retired as Department Head of Kinesiology, Recreation & Sports Studies at the University of Tennessee, he has selflessly dedicated his time, talent and treasure to ensure the Afghan athletes are positioned to succeed. He’s done everything from purchasing a van for the family of four, to finding and restoring used furniture, home repairs, driving, and much more!

Dr. Bassett is also leading the effort to garner the support of UT administration with hopes of securing eight undergraduate scholarships and two graduate assistantships.

THANK YOU, DR. BASSETT!!

VIRTUAL LEARNING PARTNERS Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff Michelle Marciniak Mary Cayten Brakefield Dr. Jen Fry Julie Morris Dr. Lane Morris Dr. Amir Reza

#j

enfrytalks

Dr. Lauren Beitelspacher 19

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the MEET TEAM Dr. Sarah

Dr. Carolyn

Spellings

Hillyer

Assistant Director

Founder and Director

MORGAN

RAINEY

DR. LINDSAY SARAH

Content and Media Manager

Program Coordinator

Content Expert and Writer

IRISH-GEORGE

JONAH HILLYER

Research Assistant

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JOHNS

teamwork makes the dream work

KRASNOFF

JARON JOHNS

Photographer

SUMMARY OF 2023 REVENUES GRANT FUNDING

$1,082,364

FUNDRAISING FOR OPERATION HOOPS

$13,000

TOTAL

$1,095,364

SUMMARY OF 2023 EXPENSES** IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING

$608,600

GRANT MAKING

$95,570

OPERATION HOOPS LANGUAGE SCHOOL*

$29,260

TOTAL

$733,430

*University of Tennessee English Language Institute cost-share

OP E R A T I O N

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Support the education and resettlement of 13 Afghan athletes by making a donation to Operation Hoops here.

Click here to join our mailing list so you can stay up-to-date on our activities and impact.

Place your order for Strong Women. Better World: Title IX’s Global Effect through UT Press.

100% of book sales go to support our grant-making program!

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**Additional expenses include staffing and overhead

Help make an impact on underserved populations through sport, education, and media by making a donation to the Center for Sport, Peace, and Society here.

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