CSI/CUNY News Release
	For Immediate Release - Monday, November 18, 2002

President George W. Bush appoints
Rita DiMartino to Foreign Scholarship Board

President George W. Bush announced the appointment of College of Staten Island alumna Rita DiMartino to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.  DiMartino, with residencies on Staten Island, New York, and Washington DC, is one of four recently announced appointments.  Her three-year term expires September 22, 2005.

As a Consultant and former Vice President, Congressional Relations for AT&T, DiMartino assists in AT&T’s relations with the U.S. administration, congress, and state governments.  She develops an enhanced political standing of the company by establishing a recognition by the White House of AT&T as a major corporate citizen with significant impact on matters of national and international concern.

As an esteemed member and spokesperson for the Hispanic community, as well as a nationally recognized expert on Hispanic affairs, DiMartino provides information and guidance to the AT&T Corporation and its senior management about this growing segment of the population.  Additionally, she offers leadership and direction, especially with respect to multicultural issues.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed DiMartino as Ambassador to the UNICEF Executive Board. As head of the United States delegation, she represented the interests of the U.S. at meetings of the UNICEF Executive Board and influenced policy regarding the relationship between the U.S. and UNICEF.

In 1992, President George Bush appointed DiMartino to the USO World Board of Governors.

DiMartino is active at all levels of Republican politics.  She is recognized by Who's Who in America, 100 Hispanic Influentials in America Today, and Cattell's Who's Who in American Politics. She has been widely recognized for her efforts by publications, corporations, community organizations, and universities.  She was inducted into the College of Staten Island’s Alumni Hall of Fame in 1986. 

DiMartino is also a member of the Council of Foreign Relations; the national council of La Raza; Vice Chair, Congressional Hispanic Caucus; the Cuban American National Council, and NALEO (the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials), among many other organizations.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, DiMartino earned a B.A. from the College of Staten Island, an M.P.A. from Long Island University, and an honorary Doctor of Civil Law from Dowling College, among other credentials.

DiMartino has three children, Vickie Ann, Anthony, and Celeste.  Vickie Ann DiMartino graduated from the College of Staten Island with a Bachelor’s degree in 1984 and a Master’s in 1994, and is currently employed by the Empire State Development Corporation.

The College of Staten Island (CSI) is a senior college of The City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s leading urban university.  CSI offers 35 academic programs, 15 graduate degree programs, and challenging doctoral programs to 12,000 students.  The 204-acre landscaped campus of CSI, one of the largest in NYC, contains an advanced, networked infrastructure to support technology-based teaching, learning, and research. For more information, visit www.csi.cuny.edu

BACKGROUND

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) was created by the U.S. Congress to supervise the U.S. government's premier international educational exchange program, the Fulbright Program. The board, which is appointed by the president of the United States, consists of 12 members drawn from academic, cultural and public life. Each member serves a three-year term.

The intent of Congress in creating the board was to establish an impartial and independent body which would assure the respect and cooperation of the academic world for the educational exchange program, particularly in the selection of grantees and of educational institutions qualified to participate.

The FSB sets policies and procedures for administration of the Fulbright Program, has final responsibility for selection of all grantees, and supervises the conduct of the program both in the United States and abroad.

The Fulbright Program supports educational exchanges that strengthen understanding and communication between the United States and over 140 nations.

The Program is an effective and prestigious form of public diplomacy. It demonstrates the commitment of the United States to peaceful cooperation among nations. The Program has enriched the lives of over 225,000 men and women, has brought some of the world's finest minds to U.S. campuses, and has offered the future leaders of scores of foreign countries an insight into U.S. society and values. U.S. citizens who have studied, conducted research, and taught overseas as Fulbright Fellows have provided an essential international perspective to U.S. higher education, business, and government and have made an invaluable contribution to the understanding of the United States overseas.

The Fulbright Program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1946. When the Second World War ended, the United States had a significant accumulation of surplus property in many countries. Senator J. William Fulbright proposed that proceeds from the sale of this property be used to fund educational exchanges. Over the years, the Program expanded in scope as new legislation made the Fulbright Program an integral part of U.S. public diplomacy.

The Fulbright Program has been called the single most productive contribution of the United States to positive international relations.

For more information visit the Institute for International Education webpage: www.iie.org

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