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Versatile film and television actress, supermodel and caseholder No. 18 on NBC's smash hit Deal or No Deal, Marisa Petroro was named one of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People of 2006, but her most significant work occurs off-camera when she raises awareness and funds for cancer research and the Tomorrow's Children Fund at Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center, the organization she credits with bolstering her own fight against the disease. |
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Petroro was raised in Elizabeth, N.J., and earned her bachelor's degree in marketing from Kean University in 1995. While completing coursework and passing finals is never an easy task, Petroro's journey through college was even more difficult, as she fought a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite balancing her studies with grueling radiation and chemotherapy treatments, Petroro graduated from Kean cum laude. "School gave me something to focus on besides cancer, and that really helped me get through the ordeal," said Petroro. "Plus, the professors and all of the people at Kean were so wonderful to me. It's not often that you can really bond with your teachers, but the people at Kean really cared." Petroro said she is thrilled and honored to be able to return to campus as the Kean University Commencement 2007 Speaker. Though her acting and modeling career keeps her constantly on the move, Petroro volunteers her time to helping individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy. She makes phone calls to friends and fans who have contacted her after finding out about her struggle with cancer through Deal or No Deal. Because Petroro is so outspoken about her battle with rhabdomyosarcoma, a recent contestant on Deal or No Deal donated 10 percent of his winnings to the Tomorrow's Children Fund. In 1997, Petroro drove across the country to Hollywood to pursue her acting career full time. Since then, she has appeared in numerous feature films, including Pumpkin with Christina Ricci, No Witness with Corey Feldman, the just-completed One Day Like Rain, directed by Paul Todisco, and Everybody Wants to be Italian with Penny Marshall and directed by Jason Todd Ipson, which will be released later this year. In addition, she has made several appearances on successful TV series, including Scrubs, Las Vegas, According to Jim and Reno 911!, which eventually led to a role in the film Reno 911!: Miami. In 2007, she will also be seen in various national print and commercial ads. Another film project to be released soon to a more limited market brought Petroro back to her roots in New Jersey. "I was so grateful to have the opportunity to film the new recruiting video for Kean University," she said. "When I walked onto the campus for the first day of shooting, I could not believe how much the place had grown and how beautiful it had become. Obviously, a lot of love and money had been put into the campus - the new buildings, the Harwood Arena, the fountain in front of Kean Hall. It was just amazing. As an alumna, I could not be more proud, and I can't wait to see how the video turns out." |
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