FREE Lecture By Pat Ciarrocchi At Cabrini

CBS3 news anchor Pat Ciarrocchi will receive the 2011 Ivy Young Willis Award in a ceremony at Cabrini College on March 15. Given annually, the Ivy Young Willis Award recognizes women who have made outstanding contributions in the field of public affairs.

Ciarrocchi, who also co-hosts CBS3’s lifestyle program Talk Philly, joined Channel 3 in 1982. As morning news anchor, she helped the station expand its morning newscast from a half-hour to a two-hour broadcast. As a special reporter, she reported live at the Vatican in 2000 for the canonization of St. Katherine Drexel, and five years later for the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

Among the awards Ciarrocchi has garnered for her work are several Philadelphia Emmy Awards; the Gabriel Award from the National Catholic Association of Broadcasters; a CEBA Award for communications excellence to black audiences; and a Sarah Award from Women in Communications. In 2000, she was inducted into the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame. 

Ciarrocchi is deeply involved in several social causes, and has served on the boards of the Easter Seal Society of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities through the Pat Ciarrocchi Golf Classic and Pat’s Passion for Fashion Show and Auction, and she is a strong supporter of the Police Athletic League. 

Cabrini, Neumann and Rosemont colleges have awarded Ciarrocchi honorary degrees for her professional and community accomplishments. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Rosemont College.

Ivy Young Willis was a pioneer in teaching and reading on television, and served on The League of Women Voters and the World Affairs Council. Past recipients of the award include Jane Golden, executive director of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program; Cokie Roberts, ABC News Political Commentator and author; Lisa Nutter, president of Philadelphia Academies, Inc.; and others.

Ciarrocchi’s 3:30 p.m. lecture, FREE and open to the public, will be in the Grace Hall Atrium of the Cabrini campus, 610 King of Prussia Road, Radnor. For more information about the Ivy Young Willis Award, contact Dan DiPrinzio at 610.902.8255.