Iona University Hosts White Coat and Blessing of the Hands Ceremonies for Nurses
Bronxville, N.Y. -- The NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences celebrated a significant milestone in the professional journeys of its nursing students with the annual White Coat and Blessing of the Hands ceremonies on Sept. 25, 2024.
Held at the Sommer Center on Iona’s new Bronxville campus, the event marked the formal induction of nursing students into the health care profession, symbolizing their commitment to delivering compassionate quality patient care and uphold professional core values.
Iona University President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., emphasized the alignment of the nursing profession with Iona’s core mission of service and ethical leadership.
"Nurses are the backbone of health care. Your work not only heals others, but helps you grow into more complete, compassionate human beings, which is the essence of an Iona education,” Carey said. “We are incredibly proud of your commitment to service and are confident you will make a profound impact on the lives of those around you.”
The White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored tradition that recognizes the beginning of a nursing student's professional career. During the event, students received their white coats, a symbol of their responsibilities as health care providers, while affirming their commitment to compassionate service.
In addition, the Blessing of the Hands serves as a powerful reminder of the sacred trust placed in the hands of healthcare professionals. This ceremony reinforces the importance of nurses providing meaningful care and the significant role nurses’ have with every patient interaction.
"Today’s ceremonies highlight the importance of compassion and competence in nursing,” said Dr. Shery Watson, director of nursing and associate dean of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences. “As you embark on your careers, remember that the trust patients place in you is immeasurable, and the care you provide is at the heart of healing and recovery."
Learn more about the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences today!
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.