Iona College Eases Freshman Jitters With Camaraderie and Comfort Food
Thursday night suppers are a 30-Year tradition, hosted by the Office of Mission and Ministry.
The dinners are an important peer-to-peer tool to help students adjust to college life, meet new friends and get a great meal.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. —The first few weeks of college are a whirlwind of events on campuses across the country. But, once the initial flurry fades and students settle into a new routine, that’s often when homesickness and loneliness hit. That’s why Iona College, through its Office of Mission and Ministry, hosts open-door free Hospitality Suppers for students every Thursday evening throughout the school year.
Led by trained student ambassadors, the dinners are a 30+ year Iona tradition and an important peer-to-peer tool to help students adjust to college life. For those who have difficulty making new friends, or may be overwhelmed by a bustling cafeteria of unfamiliar faces, the dinners provide much needed support.
“At our Hospitality Suppers, student ambassadors are trained to engage students who may feel isolated and lonely,” notes Carl B. Procario-Foley, Ph.D., director of the Office of Mission and Ministry. “The dinners are also a way for students to meet new friends and get a great meal!”
Iona kicks off its first Hospitality Suppers — open to all Iona students — on Thursday, August 29, at 5:30 p.m., at the Montgomery House at 34 Montgomery Place.
Since Hospitality Suppers are open to all and no reservations are required, groups can range in size from 40-70. The mood is convivial and relaxed, and students feel comfortable attending alone.
“Sometimes, going alone to the cafeteria may feel uncomfortable,” says Procario-Foley. “But any student arriving at a Hospitality Supper will immediately be welcomed into the group and feel right at home.”
This is reassuring for parents sending their child off to college for the first time, and for transfer students who are “starting over.”
The Iona College Office of Mission and Ministry is dedicated to keeping the mission of service, justice and spirituality conscious in the minds and hearts of the college community. Inspired by the Catholic tradition and the teachings of Blessed Edmund Rice, it seeks to build a caring community of faith and compassion. Hospitality Suppers take place every Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. while school is in session. No reservations are needed. For more information, call (914) 637-2772.
Students are immediately welcomed into the group and feel right at home.
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.