Iona University Launches Speaker Series, Faculty Fellowships Focused on Artificial Intelligence
Investment positions Iona at the forefront of teaching and learning in the AI era
New Rochelle and Bronxville, N.Y. (October 2024) – Recognizing that artificial intelligence (AI) presents both historic challenges and opportunities, Iona University President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., has announced new AI faculty fellowships and an inaugural Presidential Speaker Series to meet the demands of the moment.
The announcement is the latest in a series of advancements taken at the Catholic, liberal arts university to position itself at the forefront of teaching and learning. Sponsored by the newly established Gabelli Center for Teaching & Learning, the initiatives build upon the momentum at Iona, which this fall welcomed its largest incoming class in 20 years.
“We understand that AI presents as many challenges as it does opportunities and we know that the education of the whole student will always outweigh the mastery of any specific learning tool,” Carey said. “While we apply the tools of AI to spreadsheets and problems to be solved, we will also use it to engage with the perennial questions of human life – questions about the good life, mortality, friendship, care and citizenship.”
PRESIDENTIAL SPEAKER SERIES
Carey’s Presidential Speaker Series will bring world-class thought leaders to Iona’s campuses in New Rochelle and Bronxville, N.Y. The events, which are free and open to the public, will focus on the intersection of AI, ethics, business and the nature of knowledge itself. Learn more about the speakers here and stay tuned for more coming soon. Iona walk-ins are welcome; registration is required for all guests for the following events:
Jeffrey Saviano '89
Winning the AI Race: Where Strategy Meets Governance and Ethical Intelligence
Wednesday, October 16, 6:30 p.m.
Henry Lecture Hall, LaPenta School of Business
Join Jeffrey Saviano, Class of 1989, for a business leader’s insight into how AI is transforming boardroom conversations on strategy, governance, and ethics. In this discussion, we will cover topics including the importance of AI in business, where ethics and AI converge, and more.
Tom Chatfield, Ph.D.
Our Relationship with Technology
Tuesday, November 12, 6:30 p.m.
Henry Lecture Hall, LaPenta School of Business
It’s become common knowledge that the average person carries more computing power in their pocket than there existed in the greatest supercomputers from the 1980s. Additionally, and partly because of this, it’s easy for us to take technology for granted. In this talk, Tom Chatfield, Ph.D., will walk us through humanity's co-evolution with technology, how it has shaped us and will continue to do so, and more.
D. Graham Burnett, Ph.D.
Exploring Attention
Wednesday, February 26: Bronxville Campus (time and location details to come)
Thursday, February 27, Noon: New Rochelle Campus, Romita Auditorium, Ryan Library
In a world full of notifications, updates and what seems like an endless stream of daily new content, there is always something vying for our attention. But what exactly is attention, and how does it influence, inform, and enrich our lives? Speaker D. Graham Burnett will lead an exploration of our historical and philosophical understanding of attention in its sometimes-contradictory guises.
FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS
Carey also announced new Presidential and Provost Fellowships to foster pedagogical innovation and collaborative inquiry. Backed by a significant financial investment toward faculty stipends, the initiative provides the resources, training and institutional backing needed to be the standard-bearers for pedagogy in the age of AI.
Congratulations to the inaugural fellows:
Presidential Fellows
- Dr. Christine Hardigree, Education
- Dr. Christy Solorio, Nursing
- Dr. Ivy Stabell, English
- Mr. Rob Kissner, MBA, Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Provost Fellows
- Dr. Aakash Sapru, Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Dr. Aaron Rosenfeld, English
- Dr. Alison Munsch, Finance, Business Economics & Legal Studies
- Dr. Amal AlAbbad, Accounting
- Dr. Chrissy Martins, Marketing
- Dr. Christiana Awosan, Marriage and Family Therapy
- Dr. Dorothy Leone, Communication Sciences & Disorders
- Dr. Eric Abrams, Education
- Dr. Hannah Park, Arts & Languages
- Dr. Wei (Helena) He, Finance, Business Economics & Legal Studies
- Dr. Jeff Augugliaro, Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Dr. Mary Jane Skelly, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Dr. Tyron Pope, Criminal Justice
- Dr. Yaliu He, Marriage and Family Therapy
In addition, another 24 Iona faculty members have been selected to participate in first-level AI professional development.
THE MOMENTUM CONTINUES
Across the University, Iona’s efforts continue to be recognized at the national level. Recent accolades from The Wall Street Journal, The Princeton Review and Forbes celebrate Iona as one of the best universities in the United States.
“There is a palpable sense that we are part of something extraordinary. I am grateful for the contributions of each member of our community—students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni alike,” Carey said. “In the year ahead, we will continue to build on this momentum. Together, we will uphold the values that make Iona a unique and transformative place.”
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.