FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org

MEDIA ADVISORY

EVENT:   Italian American Institutes Day 2002: Conferences

SPONSOR:   The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)

WHEN:     Thursday, May 30, 2002
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
2:30 PM to 4:30 PM

WHERE:   The Hilton New York
1335 Avenue of the Americas
New York City
212/586-7000

CHAIR:   A. Kenneth Ciongoli, NIAF vice chairman

As part of the National Italian American Foundation’s (NIAF) Dialogue Series on issues facing America today, the Foundation is presenting two conferences during its third annual Institutes Day.

All conferences are free and open to the public.

Conferences:

• The Role of Ethnic Studies Programs at American Universities
  9:30 AM – 11:30AMThe seminar will examine the emerging field of ethnic studies programs at American colleges and universities and how they fit into the existing framework of a university curriculum.Speakers include:

  Anthony Catanese, president, Florida Atlantic University
  Roberto Severino, chair, Italian Department,Georgetown University
  Gay Talese, author

• Publish or Perish: The State of Ethnic Publishing in America
  2:30 PM – 4:30 PMA discussion of what role the publishing industry plays today. Prominent writers will discuss current accomplishments in the industry and what remains to be completed to educate the public about our diverse nation.Panelists include:

  Jay Parini, author & Axin Professor of Literature at Middlebury College
  Len Riggio, chairman, Barnes & Noble, Inc.
  Nan Talese, senior editor, Random House
  Bill Tonelli, assistant managing editor, Rolling Stone Magazine

  To register for the conferences, contact: John Marino at 202/939-3115.