Iona College Welcomes U.S. Small Business Administrator Guzman to Highlight New Veteran Entrepreneurship Grant
Left to right: Christoph Winkler, Ph.D., founding director, Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation; Diedra Henry-Spires, Senior Advisor for COVID Programs, SBA; Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator, Office of Entrepreneurial Development; Martha Lopez, City Council Member, New Rochelle; Iona University President Seamus Carey, Ph.D.; U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman; Noam Bramson, Mayor of New Rochelle; Marlene Cintron, SBA Atlantic Regional Administrator.
(Photo courtesy of Iona University.)
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Iona University President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., welcomed U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and other top representatives to kick off an exciting new partnership supporting veteran entrepreneurs.
Iona University’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation was recently selected by Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) to support their Community Navigator Pilot Program, generously funded by a $5 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Iona University received over $350,000 in funding and will work with the IVMF in support of the veteran entrepreneurship community both locally and nationally.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s $100 million Community Navigator Pilot Program is a competitive grant initiative established as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to assist small businesses hit hard by the pandemic. Read more about the grant here.
On Wednesday, December 8, 2021, leaders gathered to tour the Hynes Institute, discuss the unique challenges of the Westchester County and New York State veteran communities, and focus on sharing information about SBA programs.
U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said: “The Small Business Administration has adapted dramatically during COVID, just as our small businesses have. One of the main things we recognized was that during COVID, connection was key – especially being able to connect quickly to resources. This is a program that really allows us to build bridges to underserved communities so that they can reconnect to federal resources and be provided with the support networks they need to survive.”
Iona University President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., said: “One of the things we pride ourselves on here at Iona is our commitment to community service. That’s a deep part of who we are; we’re a mission-driven school with core values for the common good. So, this program is really special to us because we get to serve people who serve us. The Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation is one of the most dynamic and innovative programs we have, but not just locally – we’ve been ranked nationally for the work the team is doing. We really look forward to the outcomes of this program.”
New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson said: “We are grateful to two presidents; we are grateful to President Biden for his leadership in making this funding possible, and we are grateful to President Carey, who has been such a dynamic leader here at Iona and such a wonderful partner to the City and to the community… Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, just as they are the backbone of the national economy. We have more than 1,500 veteran households here in New Rochelle, so the intersection of these two groups is such an appropriate place for us to focus our energies. No group is more deserving of our support, and of course, all of us benefit when veteran entrepreneurs have every opportunity to succeed.”
Christoph Winkler, Ph.D., founding director of the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, said: “The last couple of months have really shown that resilience is something that is very important, and the SBA is doing really incredible work. We are so excited about this partnership with Syracuse University and the SBA to support our veteran and military family small businesses and entrepreneurs.”
Representatives also in attendance included:
- Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator, Office of Entrepreneurial Development
- Diedra Henry-Spires, Senior Advisor for COVID Programs, SBA
- Shalei Holway, Senior Advisor, Office of Entrepreneurial Development
- Marlene Cintron, SBA Atlantic Regional Administrator
- Martha Lopez, New Rochelle City Council Member
- Lendynette Pacheco-Jorge, Assistant Director, Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
ABOUT THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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.