Iona College Secures $1.1 Million Federal Grant to Support Student Success
Iona launches TRIO Scholars program to improve outcomes for low-income and/or first-generation students, as well as students with disabilities
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Iona College today announced the launch of the TRIO Scholars program to bolster the academic, graduation and career success of its student body. Supported by a $1.1 million TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant from the United States Department of Education over five years, the program focuses on low-income and/or first-generation students, as well as students with disabilities. A cohort of 140 undergraduate students will become TRIO Scholars.
“Iona College is built upon a foundation of delivering a transformative educational experience. Intrinsic in that mission is providing the proper support to those students who undeniably face steeper barriers to success,” said Darrell P. Wheeler, Ph.D., MPH, ACSW, Iona provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “The TRIO Scholars program adds a necessary focus on the success of our student body, expanding upon the services that already exist with even greater clarity and very significant investment in areas where more supports are needed. Trio Scholars will gain valuable skills not only for their academic success, but also for their future as informed, thoughtful and productive individuals in society.”
Acceptance into the program is by application only. Enrolled Iona students can learn more and apply online at www.iona.edu/trio-scholars. The first group of TRIO Scholars will be selected beginning in the Fall 2020 semester. Services include:
- Individualized academic counseling and guidance
- Academic enrichment workshops
- Assistance with course selection
- Career counseling and events
- Cultural educational trips and on-campus events
- Financial aid assistance
- Graduate school application guidance and support
- Mentoring services
- Tutorial services
Founded in 1940 by the Congregation of Christian Brother with the mission of providing a quality education to New York’s immigrant, working class, Iona College today offers 60 undergraduate degrees and 45 graduate degrees.
Just over 42 percent of the College’s roughly 3,000 undergraduate students meet the eligibility criteria to participate in the TRIO program. Primary program goals include:
- increase the college retention and graduation rates of participants;
- improve the financial and economic literacy of participants; and
- foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of participants who are from traditionally underrepresented groups in postsecondary education.
“Iona College places student success for all at the heart of its mission,” said Tricia Mulligan, Ph.D., associate provost for strategic academic initiatives, who will serve as interim program director. “We are so grateful for this critical funding, which will help us ensure that students who often face barriers to and in higher education have the opportunities they need to thrive both in the classroom and beyond.”
TRIO Scholars will collaborate with various other campus offices, including the Rudin Center for Academic Support Services, Accessibility Services, Academic Advising, Student Financial Services, and Career Development.
Please visit www.iona.edu/trio-scholars to apply, and take the time to explore all the ways that Iona supports students as they Learn Outside the Lines.
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.