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Is that you, Iona U? One of Westchester’s leading academic institutions has graduated from college to university status.
Unveiling the news at its flagship New Rochelle campus, Iona College has officially transitioned to the big leagues, now newly dubbed as Iona University. The school has added several new academic programs, club sports, and other activities for students across its 32 graduate degrees as well as five-year bachelor’s/master’s programs, thus allowing it to officially be considered a university.
“While our name and status have changed, our values and the mission have not,” Iona University President Seamus Carey said as the change was announced Tuesday morning. “We will continue to make history by relying on the insight and the wisdom of our forebearers.”
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Allie Payne, a current Iona University student from the Bronx adds, “It’s definitely going to take some getting used to, but we’re all really excited about the change. It’s really an honor to be part of this historic moment in our school’s history.”
Partnering with NewYork-Presbyterian, Iona University is also building a new school of health sciences on the former campus of Concordia College in Bronxville, which Iona acquired in 2021 and began holding classes at soon after. Named “The NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences,” Iona University is also developing and implementing more academic programs in the LaPenta School of Business and the School of Arts & Sciences.
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Regarding Iona University’s expansion, men’s basketball coach and sports world legend Rick Pitino says, “I think it’s pretty special. We bought a campus, we’ve become a university, student enrollment is up 35% in difficult times, so it’s quite special.”
Related: Your Complete Guide to Education in Westchester From Pre-K to College
The large increase in enrollment over the past three years has resulted in 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students, signaling a bright future of growth and achievement for Iona students.
President Carey reflects that, “Class by class, year by year, we help students realize why it is in their best interest to choose a life of responsible citizenship driven by care and compassion over narrow self-interest. To the extent that we are effective, we not only fulfill our duty as teachers and administrators, but we also meet our social responsibility of contributing to an educated citizenry. These are the values that will continue to be the lifeblood of Iona University in the future.”