[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 100 (Tuesday, June 13, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E818-E819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING DR. ANTOINETTE IADAROLA ON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 13, 2017

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with my sincere thanks and heartfelt 
congratulations that I rise today to join staff, faculty, students, 
board members, and alumnae in paying tribute to Dr. Antoinette ``Toni'' 
Iadarola, President of Lauralton Hall, as she marks her retirement from 
an auspicious career in education and administration. Toni's leadership 
and vision over the course of her tenure as President has ensured that 
Lauralton Hall will continue to meet its mission of empowering young 
women for life.
  Toni earned her bachelor's degree in history and political science at 
St. Joseph College, her master's and doctoral degrees in European 
diplomatic history from Georgetown University, and post-doctoral grants 
for studies at Yale and Fordham Universities. A former Fulbright 
scholar associated with Oxford University, Toni held an impressive list 
of academic and administrative posts before coming to Lauralton Hall; 
Chair of the History Department and Coordinator of Women Studies at 
Saint Joseph College in Connecticut, Dean of Faculty at the College of 
Mt. St. Joseph in Ohio, and Provost at Colby-Sawyer in New Hampshire, 
and 16 years as President and Professor of History of Cabrini College.
  Toni's background extends far beyond academia. Her passion for 
community service led to her participation as a volunteer consultant on 
several projects funded by the State Department: working with women 
NGOs in Belarus, discussing privatization issues in higher education in 
Russia, Kazachstan and Kyrkystan. She was also invited to the United 
Nations to serve on the Commission for Disarmament Education, Conflict 
Resolution and Peace, an NGO established by the International 
Association of University Presidents, presenting on behalf of the 
Commission in South Africa, Australia, and Thailand. Toni has

[[Page E819]]

also done volunteer work in orphanages in Swaziland and Guyana.
  It was this awe-inspiring world of experiences that she brought with 
her as she took the helm at Lauralton Hall in 2009 and that she has 
shared with faculty, staff, and students. Over the course of her eight-
year tenure as President, she has focused her attention on modernizing 
the campus, which has not only met the needs of today's educators and 
students, but has made Lauralton Hall more competitive as a whole. The 
creation of an Internet Cafe, a Center for Guidance and College 
Planning, the addition of an athletic practice field, classroom 
renovations to accommodate today's technologies, and the conversion of 
the carriage barn for the music program are just some of the projects 
that have been started or completed under her guiding hand. Toni has 
given Lauralton Hall a solid foundation on which to continue its 
success in preparing young women for their future success.
  I would be remiss if I did not extend a special note of thanks to 
Toni for her friendship over the years. Lauralton Hall holds a special 
place in my heart--some of my fondest memories are of my time there. It 
has been an honor and privilege to work with Toni to build on the 
school's 108-year history and the incredible impact it has had on the 
young women who have matriculated there.
  As an alumnus of Lauralton Hall and as a friend, I am honored to 
stand today to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Antoinette Iadarola 
for her outstanding contributions as President of Lauralton Hall. She 
leaves a legacy that will continue to inspire staff, faculty, students, 
and alumnae alike. I wish her all the best for many more years of 
health and happiness as she enjoys her retirement.

                          ____________________