FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

(WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 14, 2004) Sixty Italian American students were recently selected to participate in the Students to Leaders (S2L) Program, educational workshops to expose young Italian American high school juniors and seniors to the inner workings of business and finance in New York City or government and public policy in Washington D.C. The program is in its third year and is sponsored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF). The NIAF all-expenses-paid mentoring workshops will help participants develop leadership skills.

Thirty students participated in the Business/Finance S2L Workshop in New York City July 10-14, 2004, for an in-depth look at the center of international business and finance. During the four-day summit in New York City, students met with: Steve Aiello, senior counselor, public affairs, Hill & Knowlton, a leading international communications consultancy; Charles Gasparino, senior writer, Newsweek; and Frank Petrilli, president, COO and director, TD Waterhouse Group Inc. Students also attended a Wall Street briefing with Doreen Mogavero; president and CEO of Mogavero, Lee & Company Inc., at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

In Washington, D.C., from July 17 to July 21, another 30 students will attend the Government/Public Policy S2L Workshop to explore the political world of today. In the nation’s capital, students will meet with United States Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio and Anita Botti, congressional coordinator for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, United States Department of State. They will also attend meetings at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the Embassy of Italy and Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). During the program the students will engage in an interactive leadership and team building session.

More than 500 junior and senior high school students of Italian ancestry applied to the Foundation’s S2L Program. For more information, go to www.niaf.org/s2l/2004/index.asp .

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and dedicated to preserving the heritage of Italian Americans. The NIAF organizes cultural activities and helps young people with scholarships, internships and other programs. Visit our web site at www.niaf.org .