Emmanuel Kofi Mensah
Coordinator | Sport & Recreation Management Candidate
Meet Emmanuel Mensah
Meet Emmanuel Mensah
Emmanuel Mensah is a Ghanaian sport management professional, researcher, and educator currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management at the University of Iowa. At Iowa, he serves as a Lead Teaching Assistant in Sport and Recreation Management, an IT Student Associate in Data Analytics with Iowa Athletics, a Learning Assistant in Student-Athlete Academic Services, and a Graduate Student Senator.
His research interests center on intercollegiate athletics, NCAA governance and policy, student-athlete development, career readiness, and the institutional environments that shape athlete experiences and opportunities. His current work includes research on NCAA sports-wagering infractions and enforcement trends as well as a NASSS SEEDS research project examining institutional career-development support, university belonging, and career readiness among NCAA Division I international student-athletes.
Before coming to the United States, Emmanuel worked with Ghana’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and contributed to major sporting events including the 13th African Games and the African Para Games. He is also the founder of EKM Sports Nexus, through which he has supported more than 200 young people through mentorship, education, career development, and exposure to opportunities in the sport industry.
Emmanuel is a McLendon Scholar through the McLendon Foundation and NACDA and was recognized as a McLendon Quest winner during the McLendon Experience in Durham, North Carolina. In July 2026, he participated in the United Nations Youth Office event “One World, One Game, One Goal: Football as a Catalyst for Youth Mental Health and Well-Being” at United Nations Headquarters in New York, engaging in global conversations around sport, youth development, belonging, inclusion, and social impact.
Through his role with Iowa Athletics, Emmanuel has also gained exposure to major college-sport operations, including working during the Iowa–Ohio State football weekend when ESPN College GameDay came to Iowa. The experience gave him firsthand insight into the technology, networking, data systems, and behind-the-scenes infrastructure required to support a nationally televised college football event.
His long-term goal is to become a university professor and researcher while contributing to stronger sport governance, athlete-development systems, and sustainable sport policy in Ghana, Africa, and the global sport industry.
Sadat Abdul Karim
Current Institution: University of Iowa
Coordinator | ekmensah@ubuntursp.com