As the first woman to chair the Board of Trustees since its inception in 1996, Barbara Giorgi-Vella took office July 1 for a two-year term.

“It feels great to represent women through this position. It’s good that women are becoming more and more visible in politics, law and medicine,” Giorgi-Vella said. “Women make up half the population so it’s only fair that women can do these things.”

She was appointed to the board in 1999, and has chaired both the finance committee and the academic affairs committee.

“I am very honored and thrilled. I want to do a good job and see NIU get better and better,” Giorgi-Vella said. “I want to contribute to that. I have a lot to bring to the table.”

NIU President John Peters feels Giorgi-Vella can bring familiarity to the position.

“[Giorgi-Vella] is very experienced and will make a great chair,” Peters said.

Giorgi-Vella is a partner with Vella & Lund, PC of Rockford, and specializes in family law and mediation.

She has served on boards at Saint Anthony Medical Center, the Holy Family Foundation, Crusader Clinic, the Winnebago County Bar Association and the Rockford Public Library.

Giorgi-Vella, who earned both her master’s and law degrees from NIU, plans to implement her agenda during the 2005-06 term.

“We have a lot of work to do in communications, and we need to focus even more on the kids so that we can raise graduation rates and work on retention rates,” Giorgi-Vella said.

She wants to put a greater effort in to help students graduate and decide on their majors and career paths.

“Barb puts a special emphasis on students and their ability to complete their degree in a timely manner,” Peters said. “She’s very interested in retention efforts, support services, and the work of faculty.”

She also hopes to expand the school’s programs.

“I think that all programs; orientation, sports, and what have you, and the development of physical structure like working on the end zone and visitors center, will help the campus grow overall and we’ll get even more programs,” Giorgi-Vella said.