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It is with great sadness and a grieving heart that the Center for Sport, Peace, & Society mourns the loss of a dear friend, mentor, and champion – Dr. Joy T. DeSensi. One of the most well-known and respected women in the fields of sport management, sport philosophy, and sport sociology, she passed away Saturday night after a long and fierce battle with cancer. To those of us who knew her, Dr. D was a hero. She challenged us to think differently, to understand the privileges we have, and to find ways to use those privileges to create opportunities for others. She shaped the very essence of the Center’s philosophy and commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and the empowerment of women and girls. She taught us the importance of having diverse voices and experiences at the table, and the complexities of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, ability, and cultural norms in understanding access and opportunity. She created classroom spaces that taught empathy, affirmed and validated everyone’s lived experience. She modeled integrity, grace, and professionalism, even on her death bed. She showed us, as women, how to navigate male spaces, how to stand our ground, how to exercise our voice, and how to find a seat at the table. What she taught us was far more than the words or theories of a textbook. It was life. She taught us how to live this life in an ethical, fair, inclusive, and principled way. She taught us to become leaders of our families, our organizations, and our communities. And to create spaces for everyone to thrive, not just those with power. As directors of the center, we are eternally grateful for the role Dr. D played in our lives and the responsibility we now have to carry it forward. Through the Joy T. DeSensi Scholarship Fund, we seek to honor the legacy of Dr. D by providing a graduate scholarship for students interested in the intersections of sport and ethics, diversity, inclusivity, social issues, or women’s empowerment. If you would like to contribute to the graduate scholarship fund, please email Center director, Dr. Sarah Hillyer at csps@utk.edu. Thank you always Dr. D. Your legacy will live on in all of us.
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