Surrounded by a crowd of financiers, entrepreneurs and longtime benefactors, the Valtarese Foundation celebrated its 35th anniversary by awarding college scholarships to 16 Italian-American high school seniors with family ties to Borgo Val di Taro in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy.

The foundation, rooted in the Italian immigrant story, has spent decades helping younger generations embrace both opportunity and heritage. At the anniversary ceremony, held in New York, founder Gianfranco “Frank” Capitelli introduced each student by name, emphasizing the importance of identity and solidarity.