Lou and Carole Prato Sports Reporting Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Radio Television Digital News Foundation
Overview
The Lou and Carole Prato Sports Reporting Scholarship was created in 2001 to honor Louis F. Prato’s long-standing service to RTDNA and the RTDNA Foundation and his dedication to high standards in journalism. The scholarship supports a student who demonstrates the same journalistic values as Lou in sports coverage. The award carries a $1,000 cash prize and an invitation to attend the RTDNA conference.
About Louis F. Prato
Louis F. Prato devoted more than three decades to RTDNA and the RTDNA Foundation. He served as secretary of the RTDNA Foundation Board of Trustees and spent over 20 years as treasurer of the RTDNA Board of Directors. Lou’s professional background included work as a sports broadcaster, news director and journalism professor. He and his wife, Carole, lived near his alma mater, Penn State University. Lou authored several books on Penn State football — including The Penn State Football Encyclopedia — and served as Director of the Penn State All Sports Museum. He passed away in February 2025.
Award Amount and Benefit
- $1,000 scholarship payment
- Invitation to the RTDNA conference (recipients will be expected to attend the RTDNA First Amendment Awards event in Washington, DC on March 12, 2026)
Who May Apply
- Undergraduate students who will be sophomores, juniors or seniors at the time the scholarship is awarded and who are pursuing careers in radio, television, or digital journalism.
- Applicants must plan to continue their undergraduate studies in the Fall semester following the award to remain eligible.
- Applicants must be studying or working in the United States. (Note: students may not receive the same scholarship more than once; however, recipients may be eligible for a Fellowship in the future.)
Important Dates
- October 16, 2025: Applications open
- November 14, 2025: Application deadline (all materials due)
- December 2025: Notification of recipients
- March 12, 2026: Recipients attend RTDNA’s First Amendment Awards event in Washington, DC
Application Requirements
Submit a completed online application form that includes:
- Contact information
- Summary of experience
- Links (URLs) to 3–5 work samples. Samples should be broadcast (TV/radio) or online news pieces and must be hosted on public platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, etc.
Upload the following supplemental documents:
- Cover letter that:
- Outlines current and past journalism experience
- Explains how scholarship funds will be used
- Describes the applicant’s motivation for pursuing a career in journalism
- Resume
- Letter of recommendation from a professor, advisor, or supervisor
Application Rules
- Each person may apply for only one RTDNA scholarship or fellowship. Submitting applications for more than one opportunity will result in disqualification.
Questions about the application process or eligibility should be directed to the RTDNA scholarship contact listed on the application page.