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Seven Florida Residents Receive National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Scholarships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org


SEVEN FLORIDA RESIDENTS RECEIVE NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (NIAF) SCHOLARSHIPS

(WASHINGTON, D.C.—January 8, 2010) Seven university students who reside in Florida have received National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Scholarships. The students are JeanPaul Acocellaof Boca Raton, David Cascione of Naples, Vanessa DiMaggio of Orlando, Kate Masaracchio of West Palm Beach, Pamela Pantaleo of Lantana, Austin Pullaro of Tampa and Stephanie Schwarz of Boca Raton, Fla.

“NIAF has awarded $10 million in scholarships and grants across the country since its inception, including more than one million dollars in 2009,” said Hon. Marie L. Garibaldi, co-chair of the NIAF scholarship and grants committee.

NIAF celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. The scholarship program has grown from four scholarships of $250 each to nearly 100 annual scholarships that range from $2,000 to $15,000 each in the humanities, medicine, business, engineering, music, Italian language and culture and other specialized fields.

Scholarship winners are selected based on academic merit and are academically outstanding, with an average GPA of 3.95. The average scholarship in the United States was more than $4,000.

In addition to NIAF’s scholarship program, this year NIAF offered assistance to Italy’s earthquake-stricken region of Abruzzo and Lago del Bosco, an Italian language and cultural immersion camp in the U.S. NIAF also sent college students to Italy’s Lombardy and Liguria regions to participate in the Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery program, an educational and cultural initiative, and funded university grants to Italian clubs and cultural and educational grants.

Contributors to the NIAF scholarship program include corporations, individuals and organizations across the U.S. NIAF will consider matching scholarships with other organizations.

Apply online for a 2009-2010 NIAF scholarship at www.niaf.orgApplication deadline is March 5, 2010. To establish a NIAF scholarship, contact NIAF Director of Education and Culture Serena Cantoni at 202/939-3111 or serena@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. Visitwww.niaf.org

NIAF SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS FROM FLORIDA

JeanPaul Acocella of Boca Raton, Fla., has received the Il Circolo, The Italian Cultural Society of the Palm Beaches & The Fiorentino Family Scholarship. Acocella attends University of Central Florida and is majoring in international relations/affairs.

David Cascione of Naples, Fla., has received the Gene Sarazen Memorial Scholarship. Cascione attends Cornell University and is majoring in chemistry.

Vanessa DiMaggio of Orlando, Fla., has received The Case New Holland Scholarship. DiMaggio attends New York University University and is majoring in journalism.

Kate Masaracchio of West Palm Beach, Fla., has received the Il Circolo, The Italian Cultural Society of the Palm Beaches & The Fiorentino Family Scholarship. Masaracchio attends New York University and is majoring in cinema.

Pamela Pantaleo of Lantana, Fla., has received The Il Circolo Cultural Society of the Palm Beaches Scholarship. Pantaleo attends Florida Atlantic University and is majoring in art history.

Austin Pullaro of Tampa, Fla., has received the Festa Italiana Tampa Matching Scholarship. Pullaro attends University of South Florida and is majoring in kinesiology.

Stephanie Schwarz of Boca Raton, Fla., has received the Il Circolo, The Italian Cultural Society of the Palm Beaches & The Fiorentino Family Scholarship. Schwarz attends University of Florida – Gainesville and is majoring in environmental science.