EAST LANSING, Mich. — Before committing to Michigan State University to pursue a career in baseball, Joseph Dzierwa starred at Otsego High School both on and off the field. As it turns out, living two hours away from home doesn't mean he can't stay connected.
"I went back to my roots," Dzierwa said. "Just being part of Knights Have Your Back for four years really gave me the opportunity to give back to the community."
On Thursday, MSU hosted a special 'This is Sparta! Signing Day' event on campus to acknowledge 109 student-athletes using a Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) contract to donate to a charity of their choice. Charitable Gift America, a supporter for charities and philanthropists, is supplying the funds.
For Dzierwa, choosing a charity came easy. He volunteered to help a program called "Knights Have Your Back" which helps feed students at Otsego. Shining a light on new ways to utilize NIL deals is something Dzierwa hopes inspires others.
RELATED: 'It wasn't about me' | St. John's alum Brian Dooley gives away scholarship to help teammate
"Setting a trend is a big thing," the sophomore pitcher said. "Giving back to communities and charities is nice to see younger kids doing."
Dzierwa went 6-4, with 60 strikeouts in 74+ innings of work during his freshman year at Michigan State.
Want more from WTOL 11?
➡️ Download the WTOL 11 news app for Apple here or get it in the Google store here.
➡️ Get a fresh start to your morning and wrap up your day with the latest news and your WTOL 11 Weather forecast delivered right to your inbox!
WTOL 11's Your Morning Blast and Your Evening Blast deliver stories from northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond to keep you informed.
Click here to get on the list!