GSMP Named 2018 ESPN Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Honoree

On July 17, the U.S. Department of State and espnW Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP) will be recognized as this year’s recipient of the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award at the annual Sports Humanitarian Awards dinner in Los Angeles. In its seventh year, the GSMP is the flagship professional development exchange supporting the State Department’s ongoing efforts to advance the rights and status of women and girls around the world through sports. Tapping into the power of public-private partnerships, the GSMP positively impacts communities at home and abroad to create a more secure global playing field for all.

Three past GSMP participants from Kenya, Jordan, and the Philippines will accept the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award on behalf of the GSMP. These alumni are community leaders that use boxing, badminton, basketball, and other sports to create opportunities for marginalized girls and women to participate in society from the grassroots to the professional levels. Alumnae pave progress in their home countries as well as enrich their American mentors with an expanded global network and new perspectives.

Given in honor of legendary ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott, the ENSPIRE Award celebrates individuals and organizations that use innovative approaches to support underserved communities through sports. The GSMP’s dedication to empowering women and focus on sports as a tool for social change exemplifies that mission. The Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award will be presented in conjunction with the ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Awards show and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA Summit, sponsored by ESPN.

Established in 2012, the GSMP is a public-private collaboration between the U.S. Department of State and espnW, in cooperation with the University of Tennessee’s Center for Sport, Peace, and Society. Since 2012, the 99 graduates of the program have launched NGO’s, affected public policy, and transformed communities by providing access and opportunity to girls. Collectively, the emerging leaders have directly impacted more than 225,000 individuals through their work. For more information, please contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at ECA-Press@state.gov or Tara Chozet, ESPN at Tara.c.chozet@ESPN.com, or visit globalsportsmentoring.org/empower-women-through-sports.