Iona University Celebrates Black History Month with Distinguished Alumni Panel
New Rochelle, N.Y. - As part of Iona University’s Black History Month celebrations, a distinguished group of alumni returned to share insights from their career journeys, highlighting both the challenges and the triumphs with the Iona community.
The panel, moderated by Dr. Alison Munsch, associate professor in the LaPenta School of Business, provided an engaging and thought-provoking discussion.
Thank you to the following panelists:
- Nicole C. Boyce ’10MBA, executive director, risk management at Morgan Stanley
- Eric Alston ’11, ’13MBA, vice president of operations, Housing Solutions of New York, HSNY
- Dr. Natalie Ryder Redcross ’91, associate professor, Department of Media & Strategic Communication, Iona University
- Monique L. Jean ’00, executive director in wealth management legal, Morgan Stanley
- Felita Granby ’99MS, psychotherapist and private practice owner
Reflecting on their unique paths, panelists emphasized the shared values of adaptability, persistence and community. They also underscored how Iona’s close-knit environment and supportive faculty played a crucial role in shaping their careers.
One key takeaway came from Alston, who spoke about the importance of being open to new opportunities.
“If I were to draw a plan to become a vice president, it wouldn’t have looked the way it did,” he said. “My career path has run the gamut – basketball operations, nonprofit shelters, schools. Yet every experience prepared me for where I am today. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
Another powerful piece of advice came from Jean, who encouraged students to embrace challenges and take risks.
“Don’t be rigid in your career path. Understand you will get to where you want to be, but be willing to take risks and you will get opportunities,” she shared.
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.