Mohamed Diawara was named the Bowdoin Athletic Department's inaugural Howard Vandersea Fellow in Athletics Administration in the summer of 2025.
A graduate of Bates College, Diawara majored in Psychology with concentrations in Law and Society, Racisms, and Religious Studies. A member of the football team, he was deeply involved in campus life, holding leadership roles with the Bates Athletes of Color Coalition and served as a peer mentor for the Bobcat First Generation Student Program. His senior thesis, Psychological and Emotional Response to Injury in Athletes, reflected his academic focus and passion for student-athlete well-being.
Following his time at Bates, Diawara earned a master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Ethical Leadership at Marist University. While there, he played two years of football, serving as a team captain, and worked as a Business Operations Assistant in the Athletics Department, gaining experience in facility and event management, marketing, and student-athlete enhancement.
Throughout his time in collegiate athletes, Diawara has participated in the NCAA Student Immersion Program, the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar, and the NCAA Career in Sports Forum.
Established in 2024, the Howard Vandersea Athletics Fellowship honors former Head Football Coach Howard Vandersea for his outstanding contributions to Bowdoin, his mentorship of hundreds of student-athletes, and his commitment to shaping future leaders in athletics. This structured, two-year rotational position provides the fellow with hands-on experience across various areas of collegiate athletics administration. While serving on the department’s leadership team, the fellow will also pursue an online master’s degree in sports management.
