Student Ambassadors to serve at the USA Pavilion for the Next World's Fair in Italy

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015, in partnership with the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, announced the selection of 120 American college students who will serve as on-the-ground ambassadors for the USA Pavilion at the next world's fair in Milan, Italy. As part of the USA Pavilion Student Ambassador Program, the students will have the opportunity to represent the United States at Expo Milano 2015, which will feature the theme "American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet."

Through this prestigious program – a partnership between the Friends group, selected by the U.S. Department of State to organize the U.S. presence at Expo Milano, and the USC Marshall School of Business – two groups of student ambassadors will spend three months at the USA Pavilion from May to October 2015. After completing online and onsite training, they will greet and interact with visitors to the USA Pavilion including top government officials, corporate executives and other guests from around the globe. Student ambassadors will also staff cultural events and other USA Pavilion activities.

"The student ambassadors were selected based on their diverse backgrounds, strong language and communication skills, and their passion for solving one of the most important global issues of our time: feeding our planet," said Jerry Giaquinta, professor at USC Marshall Center for Management Communication, who is in charge of the selection and training process. "I am truly impressed by the level of knowledge and understanding that these students bring to the table and fully confident in their ability to represent our country at Expo Milano 2015 in the best way possible."   

The student ambassadors come from 94 colleges and represent 34 states across America as their primary residence. They also possess robust language skills with the ability to speak 28 different languages including Italian, Arabic, French and Mandarin. Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015 will feature several Student Ambassadors on their website www.usapavilion2015.net  and through social media in the coming weeks.

"The Student Ambassador Program is a great way to showcase the unique talents and diverse skillset of American students to the USA Pavilion visitors from around the world," said Doug Hickey, the Commissioner General for the USA Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015. "The makeup of this year's student ambassadors is a true representation of the diversity and multiculturalism that defines American society. The student ambassadors will add tremendous value to our efforts focused on raising awareness around the importance of global food security for the future of our world."

"It's so exciting to see the world gathering on a global stage to address food source issues that we are currently facing and we will continue to face in the future," said Adriana DiFazio, one of the student ambassadors from Barnard College in New York. "I am honored to be accepted to this program. I look forward to the opportunity to interact with other cultures, and help share my understanding of the challenges of and possible solutions to feeding the world's growing population."

With the theme "American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet," the USA Pavilion will showcase American innovation in addressing global food issues through a variety of exhibits and events during the six-month-long world's fair. Expo Milano 2015, with the overall theme of "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life," will run from May 1 through October 31, 2015, and is expected to attract 20-30 million visitors from around the world.  

About Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015
Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a collaboration between the James Beard Foundation (JBF) and the International Culinary Center (ICC), in association with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy, whose mission is to conceive, design, fundraise for, and produce the USA Pavilion and programs at Expo Milano 2015 under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State. Current partners include GE, NUSSLI, Uvet, Brand USA, Microsoft, DuPont, Boeing, illy, 3M, FleishmanHillard and Research Frontiers.

The pavilion's management and program is directed by President Dorothy Hamilton (founder and CEO of ICC), CEO Charlie Faas, and Chief Creative Officer Mitchell Davis (EVP of JBF). Biber Architects has been selected to design the USA Pavilion, and Thinc Design is serving as USA Pavilion exhibition designer. Under the overall direction of the U.S. Department of State and leadership of Commissioner General Doug Hickey, the Friends organization will oversee every aspect of the project in consultation with a team of experts across the science, business, technology, agriculture, sustainability, design and other fields.

For more information, visit: www.usapavilion2015.net and www.expo2015.org/en.

About the USC Marshall School of Business
Consistently ranked among the nation's premier schools, USC Marshall is internationally recognized for its emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation, social responsibility and path-breaking research. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, one of the world's leading business centers and the U.S. gateway to the Pacific Rim, Marshall offers its 5,700-plus undergraduate and graduate students a unique world view and impressive global experiential opportunities. With an alumni community spanning 123 countries, USC Marshall students join a worldwide community of thought leaders who are redefining the way business works.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/student-ambassadors-to-serve-at-the-usa-pavilion-for-the-next-worlds-fair-in-italy-300028030.html

SOURCE Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015

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