1st Floor, Room 105
2500 W. North Avenue
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Dr. Aquasia Shaw is a Senior Lecturer of Sport Management in the Department of Marketing and Management within the College of Business. She holds a Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport Administration from the University of Houston, along with graduate certificates in African American Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Dr. Shaw’s teaching and research focus on the sociocultural and philosophical dimensions of sport, particularly at the intersections of race, gender, power, and identity. Her work has been published in the Sociology of Sport Journal and The Physical Educator, and she has presented nationally at the Black Student-Athlete Summit, the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, and the College Sport Research Institute.
Dr. Shaw has taught courses in sport media, ethics, leadership, coaching, marketing, diversity, and research. Her current projects explore emotional labor and invisibility among Black women athletes, athlete activism, media portrayal of Black athletes, and global Blackness in sport. She is deeply committed to mentoring students, advancing inclusive pedagogy, and using sport as a tool for social transformation.
Stokowski, S., Li, B., Hutchens, N. S., Bell, C. A., & Shaw, A. A. (2020). "Students Are the Reason Most of Us Have Jobs": Sport Management Faculty Members' Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Students. Physical Educator, 77(5), 854-878.
Shaw, A. A., Moiseichik, M., Blunt-Vinti, H., & Stokowski, S. (2019). Measuring racial competence in athletic academic support staff members. Sociology of Sport Journal, 36(2), 162-170.
Shaw, A.A. (2025). Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show Matters Even More Now. Firstandpen.com. https://firstandpen.com/kendrick-lamar-super-bowl-halftimeshowmatters-
even-more-now/
Shaw, A. A. (2024). Are Texas’ Flashy Recruiting Tactics Smart or Just Cultural Appropriation? Firstandpen.com. https://firstandpen.com/texas-longhornsfootballrecruiting- tactics-cultural-appropriation/
Shaw, A.A. (2022). Lack Of Indignation for Brittney Griner Shows Painful Reality Black Female Athletes Face. Firstandpen.com. https://firstandpen.com/lackofindignation- for-brittney-griner-shows-painful-reality-black-female-athletes-face/
- Sport Management Club Advisor
- Case Study Team Advisor
- Chair – Council on Community, Culture, and Social Justice (DEI Committee)
- Lead Organizer – Academic and Community Events
B.A in Dual Communications & Sociology. University at Albany 2015
M.Ed. in Sport and Recreation Management. University of Arkansas 2017
Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a specialization in Sport Administration. University of Houston 2021
- North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS)
- North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM)
- Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA)
Dr. Shaw’s research examines the sociocultural, historical, and philosophical dimensions of sport and physical activity, with a focus on the lived experiences of historically marginalized populations—particularly Black women and individuals with intersecting identities. Her scholarship spans recreational, interscholastic, intercollegiate, and professional sport contexts and is grounded in qualitative methodologies, critical race theory, and Black feminist thought.
A key strand of Dr. Shaw’s work interrogates the role of sport media in shaping public narratives about Black athletes, examining how race, gender, and identity are constructed and consumed through cultural discourse. She has also critically examined marketing and recruitment of Black athletes, with particular attention to how institutions leverage Blackness as both brand and performance, often while ignoring structural inequities. Across all projects, Dr. Shaw aims to disrupt dominant narratives, challenge systemic exclusion, and advance justice-oriented practices in sport, media, and education.
Black Student Athlete Summit. Professor of the Year. Los Angeles, California, May 2024.
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