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UMass Boston鈥檚 Office of University Advancement and Alumni Engagement recently hosted the latest installment of the Beacon Discussion Series, a biannual panel discussion that brings together industry experts to explore timely and impactful topics. The forum, titled 鈥淟eadership Beyond the Game: Empowering Communities Through Sports,鈥� welcomed local leaders, educators, and athletes for a conversation on how sports can serve as a platform for education, equity, and social justice.

The evening kicked off with opening remarks from Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, who acknowledged the university's commitment to community-centered athletics and the transformative power of sport. He emphasized the historic and ongoing impact of generous supporters and corporate partners, such as New Balance, which has invested over $15 million in the Sport Leadership & Administration (SLA) program and the New Balance Institute for Innovative Leadership in Sport.

“Sports and athletics at UMass Boston have long served as a springboard for leadership and an arena for connection to Boston’s neighborhoods,” said Suárez-Orozco. “As the only public research university in Boston with a Sports Leadership & Administration program, UMass Boston equips students with the skills, the knowledge, the sensibilities, [and] the socioemotional smarts necessary to be effective community leaders through sports.”

Moderated by Dr. Joseph N. Cooper, inaugural J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of the SLA program and founding executive director of the New Balance Institute, the discussion featured a distinguished panel: Dan Shaughnessy, Hall of Fame sports columnist for The Boston Globe; Dr. Jacqueline Schuman, Vice Chancellor and Director of UMass Boston Athletics and Recreation; Steph Lewis, President and CEO of The BASE and board member of the New Balance Institute; and UMass Boston student-athlete Beeban Jikiemi-Pearson ’26.

Throughout the evening, the panelists explored the current state of sports, touching on themes such as the growing commodification of youth sports, the effects of the pandemic, the challenges and opportunities of sports and social justice advocacy, and the crucial role of mental health and mentorship.

Dr. Schuman discussed the role of sports as a conduit for life skills: “Sports have always been a place where people have been able to utilize their voice. It definitely is one of the greatest community builders that you can find, and it’s one of the greatest educators,” she said.

Drawing from his work with The BASE, a sports-based youth development organization in Boston, Lewis challenged the audience to think critically about access and equity in youth athletics. “How do we make sure we’re accessible? How do we make sure that there's equity in play?” he asked.

He emphasized the need for intentional action to address the growing inequities in access to youth sports, which are largely driven by the commercialization and rising costs of participation. These financial barriers, he said, have made it increasingly difficult for many young people, particularly those from under-resourced communities, to get involved.

“There are a lot of folks out there doing a lot of great work ensuring that young people can get access to high level and quality sports without the cost being associated with it,” he said. “Being able to break down barriers for young folks to be able to strive to do what they love to do.”

Shaughnessy, a veteran sports journalist, lamented the increasing professionalism in youth and collegiate sports.

“I cover professional sports almost exclusively. I’m around it a lot, and I’ve learned to really appreciate how special those athletes are, how great they are,” he said. “The expectations and pressures on our young people starting sports — a lot of that comes from parents. And then there’s the question of who’s coaching these kids. It’s often just parents, and even well-meaning ones can push too hard. The point is: remind them that this is supposed to be fun. The goal shouldn’t be a scholarship or going pro.”

Jikiemi-Pearson, junior captain of the Beacons’ women’s basketball team, brought a global perspective to the conversation, sharing her journey from Australia to England and eventually to Boston as a student-athlete. She also highlighted the role that sports, particularly at UMass Boston, have played in creating safe spaces for student-athletes to engage in open, meaningful conversations about politics and social issues.

“Sports and athletics have been the landscape where my teammates and I have had some really amazing, formative, educational, vulnerable conversations about current politics. I don’t think a lot of my peers and I would have had those conversations in such vulnerable spaces where we can say, ‘Oh, well, I think this,’ and somebody else says, ‘Well actually, have you read this?’ ‘Do you know this?’ ‘I saw this post on social media,’ and have those conversations where we’re teaching each other and learning together about that political landscape,” she said. “Beacon Athletics has provided a space for me and other young women on my team to have those conversations.”

The panelists also touched on what keeps them inspired despite the challenges: the enduring joy of sport and its unmatched ability to unite people.

“You can’t replicate the experience of sports,” said Shaughnessy. He recalled a moment when his son delivered a game-winning hit in a baseball game and, overwhelmed with excitement, exclaimed, “I love being alive!” “It was just this great moment. Sometimes, you’re just so happy with the joy of sport. It’s still there. That's why we’re all here. That joy, that organic joy, is still there. That doesn’t go away.”

Dr. Schuman echoed this sentiment, sharing how witnessing student-athlete Aryianna Garceau win the NCAA Division III National Championship in the 60-meter hurdles left her shaking with excitement. “It is empowering and it is powerful. Moments like that are so unique to this industry.”

Others pointed to broader shifts. Steph Lewis celebrated the rise of international and women’s sports, and how young athletes today—especially girls—are seizing their moment.

Jikiemi-Pearson added onto this with a personal reflection: “Sport has shown me and so many other people I know that they’re capable of such amazing things when they put their mind to it and their time to it. It’s an amazing tool to show people what they’re capable of, and that inspires me.”

To continue the conversation, Dr. Cooper invited attendees to the upcoming 4th Annual Equity in Sport Leadership Conference on April 28, where further conversations about performance, leadership, and inclusion will take place. More information about this event can be found .

You can view the full Beacon Discussion Series event by visiting .