Honoring Family Legacy, Iona Alumnus Endows Scholarship in Memory of Late Brother
Iona alumnus Dennis McCarthy ’82 and his wife, Angie Metcalf, have made a profound contribution to Iona University by establishing the Charles Patrick McCarthy Scholarship Fund.
This scholarship is dedicated to supporting student experiences in the University’s Study Abroad program in Ireland. Established in memory of Dennis’s late brother, Charles McCarthy, the endowment was started as a way for Charles to have his own Iona legacy and to help students experience the power of an Iona education. The generous endowment embodies the philanthropic support of the McCarthy family, honoring Charles’s memory and legacy.
Charles McCarthy, the third son of proud Irish parents Mary and Charles McCarthy, grew up in Sloatsburg, N.Y. After graduating from Don Bosco Prep, he was eagerly anticipating joining his brother Dennis at Iona University. The day before he was to move to Iona, however, he was involved in a tragic car accident and passed away on October 8, 1981.
The McCarthy family remembers him for his infectious sense of humor and unwavering devotion to those he loved, leaving an indelible mark on all who knew him. Charles's vibrant spirit and love for classic cars and rock music, particularly the Rolling Stones, are fondly cherished memories by his parents, his older brothers Dennis ’82 and James, and his younger sister Noreen, Iona alumna class of 1988.
“My mother remembers Charlie loving all things Irish,” Dennis shares. “Once we heard that Iona was establishing a campus in Ireland, we immediately thought of Charlie. We believe Charlie would have loved Ireland and its people,” the McCarthy family shares.
The Charles Patrick McCarthy Scholarship Fund is a testament to Charles's enduring impact and the love of his family. The legacy will continue to benefit Iona students, offering them the opportunity to explore new learning experiences in Ireland.
In loving memory and further tribute, the McCarthy family and friends gathered in the LaPenta School of Business for the dedication of the Charles Patrick McCarthy Study Room, located on the third floor of the Business School.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 5 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2024.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with one of the nation’s top hospitals. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.