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U.S. Department of State's Partnership with the National Italian American
Foundation Assists
The U.S. Department of State joined forces with the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in a
public‐private partnership to bring a generous American response to the people of Abruzzo
Publish Date: 2010‐05‐17
The U.S. Department of State joined forces with the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in a
public‐private partnership to bring a generous American response to the people of Abruzzo, Italy, in the
aftermath of the devastating April 6, 2009 earthquake. The focus of this partnership has been to direct
aid to the University of L’Aquila and restore its role as an important academic, social, and economic
engine for the Abruzzo region. In the year since the earthquake, this partnership has generated a
number of projects that have helped restore the University of L’Aquila:
Adopt‐a‐Scholar: NIAF worked with several U.S. universities to provide scholarships for the students of
the University of L’Aquila who were displaced by the earthquake’s damage. NIAF formed partnerships
with the University of Miami, Sierra Nevada College, the College of Staten Island, and the University of
New Mexico, among others, to offer full tuition and room and board scholarships for the students of the
University of L’Aquila to have the opportunity to study at one of these American universities. More than
100 students applied. Over the past year, 52 students from the University of L’Aquila have benefited
from the scholarships (23 for the full academic year; and 29 for the Fall 2009 or Spring 2010 semester).
The scholarship packages’ total value was over $1.5 million. The program will continue as additional
University of L’Aquila students will benefit from scholarships in Fall 2010.
Building an Earthquake‐Resistant Modular Multipurpose Center: NIAF together with the State
Department and the University of L’Aquila have assessed the university's building needs and have
determined that a permanent construction of a modular dormitory will be built in the coming months
for the value of $250,000. NIAF and the University of L’Aquila have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding regarding this project.
University of L’Aquila / Capacity‐Building in the Mental Health Field: A State Department grant was given
to the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma (HPRT), which hosted a four‐day workshop for a team of five
mental health professionals including the head of the Psychology Department of the University of
L’Aquila’s School of Medicine, and the Director of Family Medicine (Federazione Italiana Medici –
Medicina Generale Abruzzo). An additional State Department grant will support the Harvard Program
with the training of all mental health practitioners in the Abruzzo region in order to diagnose and treat
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