Iona College Announces Director of Nursing and Inaugural Associate Dean of NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences

Dr. Sherylyn Watson has a proven track record of producing results, growing previous nursing program by 400 percent

January 31, 2022

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Building upon the transformational launch of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, Iona College is pleased to announce the appointment of Sherylyn Watson, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CNE, as director of nursing and associate dean.

As nursing director, Watson will spearhead Iona’s rigorous, values-oriented nursing program, which offers two pathways to a bachelor’s degree: a traditional four-year undergraduate program and an accelerated, second-degree program.

Watson will also serve as the first associate dean of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, offering a new vision for collaborative health care education, modern workforce development and community care. NewYork-Presbyterian, consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research, and innovative, patient-centered clinical care, supported the creation of the new school with a gift of $20 million.

In this new role, Watson will collaborate with NewYork-Presbyterian to provide opportunities for students to learn from top professionals in state-of-the-art facilities, while offering unparalleled access to clinical placements and full-time career opportunities with New York’s #1 hospital, as ranked in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Hospitals.

“I am thrilled to join Iona at such a transformative time,” said Watson. “Many things attracted me to Iona and this position, one being the opportunity to develop new programs with an interprofessional educational focus. I look forward to working with my fellow health care professionals to explore and implement new ways to continue preparing our future health care workforce to save lives and change the world.”

Watson previously served as associate dean of Academic Affairs in the Davis & Henley College of Nursing at Sacred Heart University. Under her leadership, the undergraduate nursing program experienced a 400 percent increase in class size – a result of Watson’s dedication to maintaining high academic rigor while launching new programs to meet student needs. Her guidance led to a 95 percent or above NCLEX pass rate for a decade.

Watson also brings a strong background in accreditation activities to Iona, having played a key role in the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) re-accreditation process for the college’s BSN, MSN and DNP degrees; the program was fully re-accredited for 10 years without any recommendations.

“Our students and the Iona College community as a whole will benefit from Dr. Watson joining us,” said Darrell P. Wheeler, Ph.D., MPH, ACSW, Iona College provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “We welcome her diverse experiences and wealth of knowledge, which will continue to elevate the Iona experience and develop the next generation of top-notch health care providers.”

Watson’s experience has also stretched internationally, developing educational opportunities abroad in countries such as Ireland, Australia, Jamaica and Ghana. Recognizing that patient-centered health care is a universal need, Watson paved the way for United States-based students to enhance their nursing skills through a global lens.

Watson, who has been widely published, worked in the field of nursing throughout Connecticut from 1997 through 2010. Her awards include the Josephine A. Dolan Award for Outstanding Contributions to Nursing Education from the CT Nurses Association, the International Nurse Award from Nurses with Global Impact, and many more. She was also the elected faculty speaker for the undergraduate nursing capping and pinning ceremony at Sacred Heart University for three years. Watson received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Fairfield University, Master of Science in nursing from Quinnipiac University and Ph.D. in nursing education from Capella University.

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 is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” 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 NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. 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.