Former Penn State football player and Uplifting Athletes founder Scott Shirley has been picked as this year's Homecoming parade grand marshal, the school announced on Wednesday.
A East Pennsboro graduate, Shirley was a walk-on wide receiver with the Lions and started what would later become Uplifting Athletes with the first "Lift for Life" event in 2003 after his father, Don, was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
UA now has chapters at over 20 different colleges. Penn State's event is annually held on the Saturday of Arts Fest weekend in July.
Besides that endeavor, Shirley is also the CEO of Pledge It, a website where athletes can raise money based on their performance; for example, Penn State end Garrett Sickels recently donated money to the rare disease community per bench rep at the NFL Combine that was pledged by fans.