Fellow’s research examines athletics in higher ed as secondary Black diaspora

Iman Lathan has some advice for anyone stressed about pursuing their PhD.

“You don’t need to know exactly what you’re researching right away. Take your time to explore and refine your interests,” says Lathan, a student in the Educational Culture, Policy and Society doctoral program in the Graduate School of Education.

Lathan is a former Division I basketball player with a passion for storytelling who was trying to focus her research on race, gender, sport and education. And with consistent encouragement from GSE faculty, Lathan has earned national recognition by becoming a 2025 National Academy of Education (NAEd) Spencer Dissertation Fellow.

“I’m very proud to see Iman gathering important recognition for her work, which is a missing piece in contemporary educational discourse on race, gender and collegiate athletics,” says Jinting Wu, associate professor of educational leadership and policy, and Lathan’s academic adviser. “Iman’s compassion, drive and originality in improving the education and life of Black female athletes and becoming a change-maker of marginalized communities are loud and clear in her spoken and written work.”

Lathan says the award would not have been possible without the encouragement of Lois Weis, retired SUNY Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy, who consistently reminded her of her research’s strong potential for funding. “From that point forward, applying for funding became a clear goal of mine, something I envisioned for myself over and over again as part of my academic journey,” Lathan says.

Her research examines the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which she says shapes the Division I educational pathway as a secondary diasporic conduit for Black women’s basketball players — descendants of the Black Atlantic Diaspora — to predominantly white institutions. Using interviews, archival analysis and a content analysis of the NCAA’s Instagram account, her research explores how race, gender, sport and higher education intersect to influence athletes’ movement, visibility and opportunity.

“Drawing on Black feminist and queer diasporic frameworks, I aim to provide new insights into the dynamics of mobility and the institutional forces that both enable and constrain Black women athletes,” Lathan explains. “I am a storyteller at heart. My current doctoral program allows me the freedom and creativity to explore educational patterns to tell fuller stories about race, gender, sport and education, while also equipping me with the tools to critically examine how institutions shape people’s lives.”

Further, this research provides a fresh perspective on the complexities of human mobility and the impact of contemporary higher education institutions, she adds.

The Spencer Dissertation Fellowship provides Lathan $27,500 to help cover living expenses, research costs and tuition while she completes her dissertation. She says the award’s value is not just the funding, but the opportunity to attend two NAEd retreats and be paired with a faculty mentor, broadening her network of inspiring scholars beyond the strong support she already receives at UB.

“The award also expands the scope of my research capabilities, allowing me to think bigger and pursue additional questions,” she says.

This research has become very personal to Lathan, who often calls it “me-search.”

“My work is deeply tied to making sense of my own athletic and educational trajectory,” she says. “As a former Division I basketball player, I finished my career with more questions than answers about the structures shaping my experience. My research began as a way to grapple with those questions. The faculty in GSE helped me sharpen my focus and encouraged me to look beyond my personal experience and consider the larger economic and institutional systems that shape it.”

The application criteria for the fellowship require that each fellow’s research has a strong impact on the field of education, something the NAEd says Lathan’s project exemplifies.

“Lathan’s work not only centers Black women’s voices in sport but also contributes to broader discourses on racial and gendered capitalism, representation and educational equity,” according to her awardee profile. “Her research has implications for media practices, policy reform in college athletics and the support systems designed for student-athletes. She aims to continue this work in both academic and community-engaged spaces, using scholarship as a tool for liberation and systemic change.”

Lathan says the fellowship recognition was worth the year-long application process. While the process was intense, she says it was also rewarding because it pushed her to sharpen the way she communicates her research and its significance. 

Latham offers some advice for those beginning their research journeys. “Honor the work you’re doing but also maintain hobbies outside the academy to stay grounded, inspired and innovative. Don’t be afraid to push boundaries and be bold in your approach. Connect with someone who is further along in the journey than you,” she says.

Most importantly: “get people’s eyes on your work and don’t get emotional with feedback. Let it fuel and sharpen you.”