Sport Studies

Qionah grew up in Curaçao and has always loved sport. She played many sports, such as volleyball, kickboxing, tennis and softball. She also enjoys the arts, especially photography. After high school she considered studying photography, but her passion for sport was stronger. That is why she chose Sport Studies – track ISMB.

Internship in Curaçao

‘For my second-year internship, I went back to Curaçao to work with Fundashon Desaroyo Deportivo Korsou, the national sport federation. It was a great chance to learn about the business side of sport in my own country.

I helped set up new systems and worked to increase youth participation. I made sure the community knew about local sport options and received the equipment needed. I also checked that there were enough people to run the activities and I created a manual for the implementation phase.’

Making an impact at Let’s Keep the Ball Flying

‘I did my final internship at Let’s Keep the Ball Flying, a non-profit sport development organisation in the Netherlands. They also support projects in countries such as Greece, Tanzania and Lebanon.

I created a manual for all partners and helped set up meetings with refugee centres to find locations for a pilot programme. I also worked on volunteer recruitment and carried out desk research. For my field research I joined volleyball sessions to understand what refugees want and need from sport activities.’

Graduation research: sport and integration

‘My graduation research focused on the integration of refugees through sport participation, supported by refugee centres and local municipalities. I evaluated how sport programmes in these centres can support the integration process and how each partner plays a role.’

Why she chose sport for development

‘My family includes many baseball players, so I saw early on how sport can improve your life. Sport brought me joy and confidence, and I wanted to create that for others. My internships helped me understand sport development and what working in this field is like. After graduation I will keep exploring my place in sport for development, although I do not yet know how or where.’

Programme highlights

‘I cannot choose just one. The people I met, the support I received and the chances to step out of my comfort zone were all important. In my third year I could explore personal interests and chose a photography minor. This opened the door to create and curate my own photography exhibition as an elective credit assignment.’

Qionah’s tip for new students

‘Be open to every experience, even the ones that feel less useful. Take all chances to shape the journey in your own way. These 4 years go fast, but they will be great if you go for it.’

Excited?

Curious if Sport Studies is the right fit for you? Come and experience it for yourself! Get a feel for the programme, ask all your questions and see if this is the study for you.