CCPS graduate student, Kenneth Johnson 'GCPS’20 has been awarded a scholarship to showcase his research at the next Annual Conference of the Global Awareness Society International (GASI)

CCPS graduate student in Sport Management, Kenneth Johnson (SPG’20) who is also the Project Manager for the CCPS Institute for Interdisciplinary Sport Research (IISR) has been awarded a scholarship to present his research at the next Annual Conference of Global Awareness Society International (GASI) in Las Vegas. This scholarship also leads Ken to publish his research in the proceedings of the conference as well as the full version of his paper in the peer reviewed journal of “Global Awareness International”.

Preparing for his first ever international academic publication Ken also signed up to present an earlier version of the paper at the SJU Research Month in April. Ken is mentored by Dr Emese Ivan, but he is very grateful for all of the support and opportunities that the faculty of sport management as well as administrators of CCPS have given to him over his years at SJU! 

Ken is following the footsteps of a former sport management graduate student, Denise Kamyuka (CPS’19) – also a Project Manager of IISR – who is recently pursuing her career in Canada as a PhD student. The two are close and Denise was very helpful in describing her experiences presenting at the Research Month as well as publishing with Global Awareness Society International. 

Ken describes the experience as follows:

 "I am excited to begin the process of submitting my research paper about politics in sports to the Journal of Global Awareness Society International. This topic is something that I have been intrigued by for several years. There seems to be a large divide within our country regarding social issues and besides providing my own opinion on how things should be, I would like to contribute something to lessen the divide. I intend for this paper to offer solutions and highlight the people who come together for greater purposes."

I have spent the last few months garnering materials, reading scholarly articles, and listening to my sport management professors’ experiences with the topic of political aspects effecting sports.  Preparing for my presentation for the Global Awareness Society International Conference I am excited to participate also in the SJU Research Month – Student Oral Presentation Session. The same way as former students passed the torch to me the unique nature of presenting academic research at an international conference as a graduate student is what most motivates me. I also hope, another student will find useful my research in the future and start his own scholarly contribution to the field of sport management."

Denise Kamyuka describes her experience working with Ken as follows:

“I am so excited for Ken! I am still very grateful for the opportunities SJU and GASI gave me while figuring out my next steps. Participating in SJU Research Month Student Oral Presentation session helped me to find my voice and build confidence. GASI was extremely supportive, welcoming, and a great start to experience what it means to present as a graduate student to an international audience. I have been working with Ken for a couple of weeks handling the ongoing projects of IISR to him and we bounded immediately. I am extremely happy for him and have no doubt he will have great career! Go Ken, cherish and enjoy your experience."