Iona College Announces Scholarships and Support for CNR Students and Growing Healthcare Presence
Following The College of New Rochelle's statement on Friday, February 22, that the 115-year-old institution would likely close in the summer of 2019, Iona College announced plans to support CNR students.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Following The College of New Rochelle's statement on Friday, February 22, that the 115-year-old institution would likely close in the summer of 2019, Iona College announced plans to support CNR students.
"Recognizing our shared mission, history and home in the City of New Rochelle, we believe it is vital to take steps to support students of The College of New Rochelle," said Joseph E. Nyre, Ph.D., president of Iona College. "We are confident other area institutions will also work to support CNR students."
Iona will provide special scholarships for CNR graduate students to transfer to similar Iona graduate programs including Marriage and Family Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, School Psychology, Childhood Education, and Communication Sciences and Disorders, among others. Graduate students interested in speaking with a graduate transfer specialist are invited to email helpingstudents@iona.edu.
In addition, Iona will assist qualified undergraduate transfer students who wish to continue their studies in New Rochelle by offering special transfer credit reviews, tours and financial aid assistance. CNR undergraduate students and their families will be welcomed to the Iona campus during the next regularly scheduled Transfer Tuesday event on Tuesday, February 26, at 10 a.m., to tour campus, and learn more about Iona academic programs, residential and campus life. For additional information on undergraduate transfer admissions procedures and requirements, prospective students and families are invited to email Iona admissions counselor DJ Arndt at darndt@iona.edu, or call Iona’s Office of Admissions at (914) 633-2502.
Iona has been increasingly investing in academic infrastructure to launch and enhance nationally recognized programs. This fall, the College announced construction will soon be complete on its new state-of-the-art business school facility which will serve its nationally recognized and AACSB-accredited LaPenta School of Business. The College also recently launched the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, a graduate program in Speech Language Pathology and a new Occupational Therapy graduate program that will welcome its first class this fall.
As Iona continues to enhance its academic portfolio, particularly in the area of Allied Health Sciences, it announces the hiring of Debra A. Simons, Ph.D., RN, CNE, CHSE, CCM, as Director of Allied Health Initiatives. Dr. Simons currently serves as dean of the School of Nursing and Healthcare Professions at The College of New Rochelle and will join the Iona community on March 4, 2019.
"Building on our growing presence in health science and allied healthcare programs, and in recognition of the national nursing shortage, we look forward to working with Dr. Simons to expand our current programs to include additional allied health programs," said Darrell P. Wheeler, Ph.D., MPH, ACSW, Iona College provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. "The announcement by CNR of their summer closure underscores the need for nursing in our area, as well as a continued pipeline to ensure local workforce needs are met."
"I look forward to working with the Iona community to launch the highest quality nursing and allied health programs to train future healthcare professionals who will move the world," said Simons.
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.