New York.- By Vicki James Yiannias

When she accepted AGAPW’s 2014 Excellence Tuition Scholarship Award from Dr. Liana Theodoratou, Chairman of AGAPW’s Scholarship Committee, at the organization’s “Greek American Woman of the Year Award” celebration at a midtown club on March 27, NYU student Kristina Bogos, the first person in her immediate family who can speak, read, and write modern Greek, said, “Σας ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για αυτή την υποτροφία.  Είμαι πολύ συγκινημένη.  I am so honored to be in the presence of such accomplished women and men tonight.  I can only hope that I follow in their footsteps in the future.  I thank Liana Theodoratou, and especially AGAPW, for believing in me.”

Ms. Bogos, who was the first in her family to travel to Greece to meet her distant relatives, said,  “This wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t met Liana and decided to major in Hellenic Studies at NYU…”  Later, in a confession that emphasized her high estimation of Greek heritage, Ms. Bogos, whose grandmother’s parents, she believes, emigrated to the United States from Patras and Rhodes in the early 20th century, she said that while she is “only 1/4 Greek… I pretend to be more!”

Last year’s recipient of the Excellence Tuition Scholarship Award and the evening’s Master of Ceremonies, Vaia Trittas, made introductory remarks after Dr. Olga Alexakos, President and Founder of AGAPW, welcomed the gathering, which included not only Greek Americans, but Philhellenes, and not only women, but some men, as well, always welcome to AGAPW events.

Encouraging and empowering Greek American women to maximize their potential and fulfill their calling as well as honoring those who have excelled is what AGAPW is all about.

Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, California businesswoman, philanthropist, and United States Ambassador to Hungary (2009-2013)–the first Greek American woman to serve as a United States ambassador–was the recipient of AGAPW’s signature “Woman of the Year Award” presented to exceptional Greek American women during Women’s History Month.

“Greek American professional women are the new face of our communities, and I want to incorporate them into our organization,” said Alexakos, who noted that interest has been shown in the opening of AGAPW chapters in other states, “We’re filling a void in our community… AGAPW is speaking to the new Greek American woman.  Whether they’re born in Greece, like myself, or are 1/4 Greek, 1/8 Greek… they’re still Greek.  They love Hellenism.  Our scholarship winner is the first one in her family to speak Greek… AGAPW is representing us, the older ones, and the new ones, so we need your support as we move forward.  Those who were born in Greece, those who are third, fourth and fifth generation; this is the new Greek American community.  Thank you for your support.”

Ms. Alexakos introduced His Excellency Ambassador Michael Spinellis, the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations; the Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus to New York, His Excellency Ambassador Vassilis Philippou offered remarks, as did the Honourable Costa Constantinides, New York City Council Member (the first of Cypriot heritage, and to whom Ms. Alexakos referred as “the next mayor of New York City”, to applause. Mr. Constantinides presented Ambassador Kounalakis with a Proclamation of the New York City Council. “It’s just a small thank you from us for all the great work that you’ve done as a businesswoman, philanthropist, and United States Ambassador, and all the doors that you’ve opened, not only for Greek American women, but for this country.”

“I have seen AGAPW blossom,” said Mr. Constantinides, praising Ms. Alexakos “for inspiring Greek American women, whether it’s through networking events or events like this, in which we are celebrating one another, AGAPW is very special.  Thank you, Olga, for your work…March is a special month for us.  It’s the month in which we celebrate Greek independence, and it’s also the month of the celebration of women’s history.   I don’t have to tell you what a great contribution our community has made to this city and to this country.”

Introducing other guests, Ms. Alexakos praised Mrs. Tsilas, who when Alexakos was founding AGAPW was her “psychological support, and still is”, and her husband, Ambassador Loucas Tsilas, the Executive Director of the Onassis Cultural Center, both of whom have been “great supporters of AGAPW from the beginning.”

Ms. Alexakos introduced His Excellency Ambassador Michael Spinellis, the Permanent Representative  of Greece to the United Nations; the Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus to New York, His Excellency Ambassador Vassilis Philippou offered remarks, as did the Honourable Costa Constantinides, New York City Council Member (the first of Cypriot heritage, and to whom Ms. Alexakos referred as “the next mayor of New York City”, to applause.

Mr. Constantinides presented Ambassador Kounalakis with a Proclamation of the New York City Council. “It’s just a small thank you from us for all the great work that you’ve done as a businesswoman, philanthropist, and United States Ambassador, and all the doors that you’ve opened, not only for Greek American women, but for this country.”

“I have seen AGAPW blossom,” said Mr. Constantinides, praising Ms. Alexakos “for inspiring Greek American women, whether it’s through networking events, events like this, in which we are celebrating one another.  AGAPW is very special.  Thank you, Olga, for your work… March is a special month for us.  It’s the month in which we celebrate Greek independence, and it’s also the month of the celebration of women’s history.  I don’t have to tell you what a great contribution our community has made to this city and to this country.”

Introducing other guests, Ms. Alexakos praised Mrs. Tsilas, who when Alexakos was founding AGAPW was her “psychological support, and still is”, and her husband, Ambassador Loucas Tsilas, the Executive Director of the Onassis Cultural Center, both of whom have been “great supporters of AGAPW from the beginning.”

Ambassador Kounalakis was introduced by 2012 “Woman of the Year” Penelope Tsilas, who praised her as “a remarkable woman… who at her young age has already had a distinguished career”, and congratulated her for her recent appointment as Chair of the California Advisory Council for International Trade and Investment.

Beginning her interview of Ambassador Kounalakis by noting the Ambassador’s winning personality and exceptional accomplishments, 2012 Woman of the Year, Mrs. Penelope Tsilas, showed a talent for relaxed, yet to-the-point interviews, her first question to the Ambassador being how it was to be Ambassador to Hungary during the international economic crisis, the Afghan War, and the Arab Spring, then bringing out Ambassador Kounalakis’s thoughts on the challenges of her transition from business to international diplomacy, and being a working woman as well as having a family.  The interview culminated in the Ambassador’s statement addressing whether women “can have it all”.  So, yes, you can have it all… just at different times” she said, citing the example of Nancy Pelosi, who entered politics after she had raised her children.

Evgenia Soldatos, a student at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law presented a talk, “The Significance of Women’s History Month and the Historical Contribution and the of Greek American Women to our Country and Community”, which she said “celebrates the remarkable story of the most sweeping social change in American and international history: the assertion by women of their rights to a full and fair share of political power, economic opportunity and personal autonomy”.

Reflecting on the nature of Greek American women, “whose contributions are woven into the very fabric of Hellenism in America,” Ms. Soldatos named some exceptional Greek American women beginning with the honoree, Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, senior banking executive, Zoe Papadimitriou, Arianna Huffington, Maria Callas, the artist Chryssa, Olympia Snowe, and Yvonne Cech, the teacher who saved the lives of 18 children in the Newtown Elementary School massacre.

Characteristic of AGAPW networking events and celebrations, music was an important added dimension to the event, with Nana Simopoulos on sitar/guitar/bouzouki, Caryn Hellman, percussion, and vocalist Flora Kirou performing Manos Hatzidakis, Mikis Theoorakis, a Nana Simopoulos composition, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and a song ”Ishe A Wa”.