FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHERE: Rutgers University
College Avenue Student Center
126 College Ave.
New Brunswick, N.J. 08901

Hon. Samuel A. Alito Jr., Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, will serve as the keynote speaker at New Jersey Italian and Italian American Heritage Commission’s (NJIIAHC) Eighth Annual Congress. Justice Alito has served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court since his appointment in January 2006. His past positions include Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey; Assistant to the Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice; Deputy Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice; U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey; and member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

The Eighth Annual Congress will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast and welcome from the Chair of the New Jersey Italian and Italian American Heritage Commission, Dr. Gilda Rorro Baldassari. The day’s agenda includes panels on Italian dialects and assimilation as well as achievements of Italian Americans, particularly in the legal field.

During the program, NJIIAHC will announce the winners of its curriculum renaming contest that was open to New Jersey high school students. Also part of the program is NIAF’s Graduate 2 Leaders (G2L) workshops for university students, college graduates and young professionals, ages 21 and older, which focus on professional leadership skills. Visit www.niaf.org/g2l for more information on NIAF’s G2L workshops.

The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum is coordinating a major Venetian exhibit of rare etchings and paintings by Canaletto and Tiepolo with the Eight Congress. Interested participants will be provided free bus transportation and a guided tour of the exhibit at the conclusion of the Congress.

Visit www.njitalia.nj.gov for information and registration for the Eighth Annual Congress.

Media Contacts: Elissa Ruffino at 202-939-3106 or Elissa@niaf.org
Natasha Borato at 202-939-3116 or Natasha@niaf.org

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the heritage of Italian Americans. Visit www.niaf.org.