**Visit www.niaf.org/scholarships to Apply Online**

*Application deadline: March 1, 2013*

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 1, 2012) Scholarships will be available to college students through the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) for the 2013-2014 academic year. The Foundation has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships and cultural grants since its inception in 1976.

NIAF celebrates its 37th anniversary this year. Since NIAF’s inception, the scholarship program has grown from four scholarships of $250 each to dozens of annual scholarships ranging in value from $2,000 to $10,000 each in the humanities, medicine, engineering, business, music, Italian language and culture, and other specialized fields. Last year, the average scholarship to students in the United States was worth more than $3,000.

“NIAF has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships and grants across the country since its inception. NIAF’s leadership is extremely proud of the high caliber of students and their outstanding achievements,” said NIAF Chief Operating Officer John M. Viola.

Scholarship applicants must be NIAF member or have a parent or guardian who is a NIAF member. Applicants must be enrolled or entering a college or university in the fall of 2013, and either must be of Italian descent, with at least one ancestor who has emigrated from Italy, or a student of any ethnic background majoring or minoring in the Italian language, Italian studies, Italian-American studies or a related field. NIAF scholarship recipients are selected based on academic merit. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 to apply.

Contributors to the NIAF scholarship program include individuals, corporations, and organizations across the United States.

Apply online for a 2013-2014 NIAF scholarship at www.niaf.org/scholarships. Application deadline is March 1, 2013. For more information on establishing a NIAF scholarship, contact Alexandra Dall at Alexandra@niaf.org.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., and dedicated to preserving the heritage of Italian Americans. Visit www.niaf.org.