Manhattanville Awarded NEH Grant for Groundbreaking Project to Enhance Sport Studies Through Latinx Lens

Congratulations to BCW Member Manhattanville College’s Sport Studies program on receiving a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for “Sport Studies in the 21st Century: Amplifying the Latinx Experience in Curricula, Conversation, and Community.”

This groundbreaking initiative explores the multifaceted social, political, historical, and cultural aspects of sport within Latinx communities. The award was one of five given as part of the NEH’s 2023 Humanities Initiatives at Hispanic-Serving Institutions competition. Manhattanville has earned a designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.

The project will address gaps in the field of Sport Studies, making stronger connections with the broader fields of Latinx and American Studies. By focusing on the impact of Latinx athletes and the role of sport in Latinx communities, the project will rectify the underrepresentation in this vital area. At the core of this initiative is a dynamic speaker-in-residence series, featuring renowned scholars in sport and Latinx studies. The speakers will be in short residencies at Manhattanville over the course of the next three years, working with students, faculty, and the wider community through a series of lectures and interdisciplinary learning clusters, building upon the collaborative nature of the Sports Studies major. The work will be preserved online and in the college’s archives, available for future use.

The award-winning project was conceived and will be spearheaded by Manhattanville’s Sport Studies faculty – Amy Bass, Ph.D., Seth Tannenbaum, Ph.D., and Samantha White, Ph.D. – who serve as project directors.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer praised the Manhattanville program. “By embracing Latinx studies within the study of sport, Manhattanville is leading the way in providing a comprehensive and inclusive education that reflects the diverse perspectives within our society,” said Latimer.