
Meet Matt DiSanto: Our 2021 Starr Award Winner
Matt DiSanto, a PSU junior majoring in journalism, is the winner of the Rick Starr Award for 2021. He estimates he has written nearly 1,000 articles during his Penn State career, most of them for Onward State, a student-run web site. Matt is profoundly grateful to all of you who made this award possible for him. You can learn more about Matt here — including his wonderful memories about a high school incident that introduced Matt to Rick’s work, and influenced his decision to attend Penn State!

Our award recognizes sports journalism students at Penn State who write, like Rick, about the human impact of sports.
Rick’s Work
Rick’s work for the Daily Collegian and the Valley News Dispatch included many articles that explored the human side of sports.
Students
The Sports Journalism Department at Penn State identifies students who may be candidates for this award. Students who believe they might be eligible should contact Janet Klinefelter at jqk9@psu.edu
Your Memories
If you were a friend, family member, coworker or acquaintance of Rick’s, share your favorite memories and check out our photo gallery.