Iona Student Gains Field Experience with U.S. Department of Justice
New Rochelle, N.Y. - Danielle Escamilla ’23 is a determined individual who knows the importance of surrounding herself with others who strive to be their best. As such, Iona University has been an ideal fit.
“At Iona, I have found a talented and intelligent group of professors, students, and friends. Although not everyone is following the same path, they all work hard to achieve their goals and strive for success. This environment contributes to my determination and passion toward achieving my goals as well,” said Escamilla, of Yonkers, N.Y. “The Iona community felt extremely welcoming, and I knew I would build good relationships with students and faculty alike.”
As a double major in Criminal Justice and Political Science, Escamilla has also advanced her career aspirations by interning with two prestigious organizations during her time at Iona: One for the Department of Probation in the Bronx, and the other for the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York under the U.S. Department of Justice.
The internship under the Department of Justice allowed Escamilla to gain field experience not typically found in a classroom. This ranged from working with federal prosecutors in preparing for trials and gathering evidence to transcribing interviews, 911 calls and wire taps from Spanish to English.
“During my five months at this internship, I acquired skills that are necessary for a future attorney, ranging from how to build your story for a jury to paying close attention to detail,” Escamilla said.
Her advice to other students?
“Try new things,” she said. “College is a time where you really get to know yourself and what you like. This can really apply toward a particular set of classes or even friends and experiences. Also, talk to your professors. They have years of experience in a field that you wish to one day be a part of. They have learned many lessons throughout their career and can offer you an insightful perspective.”
Read more about Escamilla’s Iona journey here.
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.