Hon. Frank J. Guarini, Chairman of JCU Board of Trustees, Receives Prestigious "America Award" from Italy-USA Foundation
Hon. Frank J. Guarini with Jacqueline Maggi
John Cabot University is proud to announce that the Hon. Frank J. Guarini, Chairman of the JCU Board of Trustees, received the “America Award” from the Italy-USA Foundation at a ceremony held at the Italian Chamber of Deputies on October 9, 2014.
The Italy- USA Foundation is an independent institution that was established to honor and promote the friendship between Italians and Americans by playing a bipartisan public role on both sides of the Atlantic.
Each year the Foundation confers the America Award, under the auspices of the President of the Italian Republic, in order to acknowledge and encourage initiatives aimed at favoring relationships between Italy and the United States.
In presenting the award to Chairman Guarini, Italy-USA Foundation President Lucio D’Ubaldo praised the former congressman’s many accomplishments and his commitment to fostering bonds between the two countries.
Born and raised in Jersey City, NJ, Frank J. Guarini received his education from Dartmouth College, Columbia University, New York University School of Law, and pursued advanced studies at The Hague Academy of International Law, the Netherlands. Guarini received the Navy Commendation Medal and three Battle Stars for his service during World War II. After working for many years as a successful attorney, he became interested in politics serving in the New Jersey State Senate for two terms and in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms. Throughout his career in public and private life, he has always maintained a strong interest in education. He founded centers and institutes at Dartmouth College, New York University School of Law, St. Peter’s University, New Jersey City University, and John Cabot University. He is also Chair emeritus of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)
Chairman Guarini is one of John Cabot University’s most generous benefactors. In 2008 JCU officially dedicated the Frank J. Guarini Campus to him in recognition of his generous support of the University since he first joined the Board of Trustees in 1995.
In 2005 Mr. Guarini’s generosity allowed the University to establish the Guarini Institute for Public Affairs. Then in January of 2008, Mr. Guarini gave the University an unrestricted donation of one million dollars.
In accepting the award, Chairman Guarini said, “It is a great honor for me to receive this award. This is a very emotional moment for me, as I think of my grandparents who left Italy when they were 18 and 20 years old, in search of a better life, knowing that they would never see their parents again. I am very proud of the hard work and the accomplishments of Italians in America: from factory workers and manual laborers they became shopkeepers and finally senators and governors. They have become an integral part of the United States, the great nation that first gave them the opportunity to have a better life.”
Chairman Guarini concluded by expressing his hope that the Italian and American governments continue to collaborate to bring together the vast resources of both countries.
Congratulations to Chairman Guarini from the entire JCU community!
