11 | 01 | 09 |~ More than 100 scholarships will be available to students through the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) for t he 2011-2012 academic year. The Foundation has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships and cultural grants since its inception in 1976, including more than $1,000,000 in 2010.

NIAF celebrates its 36th anniversary this year. Since NIAF’s inception, the scholarship program has grown from four scholarships of $250 each to more than 100 annual scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $15,000 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 $10 million in scholarships and grants across the country since its inception, including more than one million dollars in 2010," said Matthew J. DiDomenico, Sr., chair of the NIAF scholarship and grants committee and NIAF senior executive vice president.

Applicants 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 U.S. NIAF will also consider matching scholarships with other organizations.

Apply online for a 2011- 2012 NIAF scholarship at www.niaf.org/scholarships. Application deadline is March 4, 2011. To establish a NIAF scholarship, contact Alexandra Dall, NIAF grants and scholarships manager, at adall@niaf.org or 202/939-3118.

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.

SOURCE: NIAF | CiaoAmerica.net |