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

(WASHINGTON, DC– January 6, 2006) The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) will present more than 100 scholarships in the academic year 2006-2007 to students across the country. The NIAF has awarded $8 million in scholarships and grants since its inception in 1976. In 2005, more than $1.3 million in cultural and language grants and student scholarships were awarded by the Foundation.

The NIAF scholarship program celebrates its 31st anniversary this year. It has grown from four scholarships of $250 each to more than100 annual scholarships that range from $2,500 to $15,000 each in the humanities, medicine, engineering, business, music, Italian language and culture, and other specialized fields. Last year, the average scholarship was more than $4,000.

“This scholarship has made a vital contribution to my academic finances but, more importantly, your investment in me will be returned via my mind, heart, and hands in service to my community and the world around me,” Natalie Rudoni, NIAF 2005 scholarship recipient from Traverse City, Mich., said.

Applicants must either be of Italian descent, with at least one ancestor who has emigrated from Italy, or students of any ethnic background majoring or minoring in Italian language, Italian studies, Italian American studies or a related field. NIAF scholarship recipients are selected based on academic merit, and students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 to apply.

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

To establish a NIAF scholarship, contact Serena Cantoni, NIAF director of scholarships and grants, at 202/939-3111, e-mail: serena@niaf.org. To apply for a 2006 -07 NIAF scholarship, visit: www.niaf.org/scholarships.

Application deadline: March 1, 2006.

The NIAF is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and dedicated to preserving the heritage of Italian Americans. Learn more about our programs and events by visitingwww.niaf.org