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College of Law dean wins 2012 Impresa Award

August 22, 2012
NIU College of Law Dean Jennifer Rosato (right) receives the Impressa award from Phyllis Schoene.

NIU College of Law Dean Jennifer Rosato (right) receives the Impressa award from Phyllis Schoene.

NIU College of Law Dean Jennifer Rosato was honored as a 2012 Impresa Award recipient by the Women’s Division of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA).

The award was presented at a luncheon held Saturday, Aug. 18, at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill.

Dean Rosato was one of eight accomplished women who received this prestigious honor.

“I am extremely honored and humbled to be counted among these outstanding honorees,” Rosato said. “It is very rewarding for me personally to know what important and excellent work is being undertaken by these remarkable women in their respective fields. It motivates me to continue to do my best to serve NIU and the community.”

“The Impresa Award was created in 1993 to honor women from the Chicago Italian American community who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments during their lifetime,” said Rosemary Ranallo, president of the JCCIA Women’s Division.

“The Impresa award not only recognizes the contributions of Italian America women to their community, but it also celebrates their heritage and inspires younger generations of Italian American women by giving them role models to follow.”

Rosato (second from left, next to WGN-TV’s Dina Bair) was one of eight winners of the Impressa award.

Rosato (second from left, next to WGN-TV’s Dina Bair) was one of eight winners of the Impressa award.

In 2009, Rosato became the first female dean to head the NIU College of Law and one of only a handful of minority women deans across the country.

Under her guidance, NIU Law has enacted numerous initiatives to advance its mission of promoting diversity, professionalism, and academic excellence in the legal academy.

Rosato has spearheaded programs such as:

NIU Law also has consistently maintained national recognition under Dean Rosato’s leadership for its diverse faculty, its commitment to public interest law and employment for its graduates in government positions, and its affordability in providing an excellent education.

Rosato is a prolific writer, having published numerous journal articles on adolescent health care law and diversity in the legal profession. She continues to be a sought-after speaker, having presented at local, state and national bar associations, law schools across the country, and national organizations such as the Association of American Law Schools and National Association of Women Judges.