GIS Graduate Charlene Anthony Gains Sports Media Experience at Black in Sport Summit

GIS graduate Charlene Anthony gained sports industry experience by supporting the delivery of the Black in Sport Summit 2026 at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

Founded in the wake of the racist abuse suffered by English footballers after the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, Black in Sport is an organisation determined to shine a spotlight on those making a positive difference in the sports industry.

Celebrating Black History Month, the organisation recently held an event at the Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal FC, which two students from the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) supported through volunteer roles.

The all-day event featured networking opportunities as well as special guest speakers including Dina Asher-Smith and Ovie Soko who explored a range of topics in sport from accessibility to cultural representation. 

One of the GIS graduates volunteering at the event was Charlene Anthony, a recent MSc Sports Marketing and Media graduate who had the role of Social Media and Event Volunteer. 

Throughout the event, she supported the Black in Sport media team as they captured content for their various social platforms to share the essence of the event with those not in attendance.

“I really enjoyed my volunteering experience with BIS,” Charlene told GIS. “Everyone was so welcoming and ensured I was involved and had the opportunity to get stuck in.

“It was exciting to experience the behind-the-scenes work of the media team, especially at such an iconic venue as Arsenal Stadium. The experience has motivated me even more to get involved in similar opportunities and continue exploring my interests in sports media and marketing.”

Reflecting on the wider relationship between GIS and Black in Sport, Joshua Irawo said:

“It was special to welcome GIS to activate with BIS at our 5th year anniversary summit at the Emirates. I continue to benefit from their world-leading courses (MSc Int’l Sports Management) and their influential network in the sports industry, and so it was an easy decision to open-up partnership conversations. There is a clear overlap with the BIS mission for providing one-of-a-kind sports insights and access.

Our premonition has been justified with the early insights received by GIS from our community at the summit, and we are looking forward to curating more opportunities for both of our audiences. Watch this space.”

Charlene’s experience highlights how volunteering can give

GIS students and graduates opportunities to contribute to industry events while exploring their career interests in sport.

Explore more student and graduate experiences across the sports industry on our news page.