Frizzi Lazzi-Elenore Cornaro Award

Elena Cornaro Award

N.Y. Grand Lodge Order Sons of Italy Bestows 2001
Elena Lecrezia Cornaro Award to Dr. Emelise Aleandri

(New York: June 9, 2001) The Order Sons of Italy in America New York State Grand Lodge held its 95th Annual State Convention at the Nevele Grande in Ellenville, New York, June 7th through 10th, 2001. At the Convention, the Elena Cornaro Award was presented to Dr. Emelise Aleandri. The Award is named in honor of Lady Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman in history to receive a Ph.D. "La Cornaro" spoke many languages fluently, studied Literature, Rhetoric and Logic, and the Arts, Sciences and Theology. The University of Padua bestowed the doctorate on the brilliant Italian scholar on June 25, 1678. The glorious stained-glass windows in the Thompson Memorial Library at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, represent this memorable event in the history of the higher education of women.
The Elena Cornaro Award, established by the Grand Lodge of New York OSIA in 1978 on the 300th anniversary of Elena's investiture with the Ph.D., promotes and recognizes outstanding Italian-American women in higher education who have made significant contributions to their professions and their community. The Cornaro Award Committee is chaired by Marjorie Moschella and includes past honorees, Dr. Irene Impellizzeri and Dr. Anne Attura Paolucci.
The year 2001 Cornaro Award Recipient is Dr. Emelise Aleandri. Born at Riva del Garda, Italy and she grew up in the Bronx, earned an A.B. in French from the College of New Rochelle, an M.A. in Theatre from Hunter College and a Ph.D. in Theatre from CUNY. Dr. Aleandri's research on the Italian-American immigrant theatre has resulted in articles for journals and encyclopedias, documentaries, television programs, concerts and theatre productions, books, lectures and conferences in both the United States and Italy.
In her acceptance speech, Emelise Aleandri spoke of the small grant she received as a graduate student to begin her ethnic theatre research and how it had developed into a lifelong pursuit. In congratulating the scholarship winners, she encouraged them to use the grants they were receiving to discover and explore the world of learning that awaits their inquiring minds.