Iona College Announces Full Return to In-Person Instruction for Fall 2021 Semester
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Hailed as the “first to close, first to open” in response to COVID-19, Iona College is again taking a leadership role in announcing that all classes will be conducted in person for the Fall 2021 semester. Iona’s move to full in-person instruction reflects the strength of its mission, vision and values, while at the same time signals an important step forward.
“We know students and faculty are eager to get back to in-person instruction. Everyone on campus worked tirelessly to be able to make this happen, pushing through challenging circumstances to prove we could keep our community safe,” said Iona College President Seamus Carey, Ph.D. “We learned many valuable lessons over the past year, and we will continue to carry them forward as we forge ahead on our path of innovation. From expanding faculty support and program investment to adding exciting new degrees and student opportunities, the future is bright at Iona.”
Iona first reopened campus in August 2020, offering students the option to learn in person or remotely, after the College had gone fully virtual in March 2020.
Social distancing standards in the classrooms, residence halls and campus facilities will continue to be applied based on local health department requirements. The use of masks, surveillance testing, daily symptom checks, limited event capacity and other precautions established during the pandemic will also remain in place. Iona will continue to follow all health and safety guidelines as set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health departments.
Taking its commitment to “Learn Outside the Lines” even further, Iona also plans to expand opportunities in the performing arts, club sports and other activities beyond the classroom to foster a greater sense of belonging and engagement on campus. In addition, the College will soon unveil plans to add essential green space on campus where students, faculty and staff can share ideas and build transformative relationships.
The return to in-person instruction applies to all courses with the exception of Iona’s online MBA program in the LaPenta School of Business and courses already designated as “Distance Learning.”
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.