Iona University Prepares for Annual Day of Giving
On March 17, 2025, the Iona community—alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and supporters—will come together to celebrate generosity and showcase “The Power of Iona”
Gaels Giving Day, Iona University’s annual 24-hour fundraising effort, is a special opportunity for the Iona community to come together in support of current and future students.
Alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends of the University are encouraged to celebrate “The Power of Iona” by making a gift of any size to the designation of their choice, directly contributing to the transformative power of an Iona education.
This year, the University is setting its sights on reaching 2,000 participants, uniting Gaels everywhere in a shared spirit of generosity.
The Power of Iona: Alumni Stories of Impact and Giving
Martin Daly ’74
Retired SVP & Director, News & Late-Night Sales, CBS Television Network
Former Executive-in-Residence of the Iona University School of Arts & Science
2024 Alumni Award Recipient | The Brother Arthur A. Loftus Award for Outstanding Achievement
“The real ‘Power of Iona' to me is the fact that we are everywhere! Take any profession and you will find Iona graduates – law enforcement, medicine, politics, education and Wall Street, to name a few fields of endeavor where Iona alumni have made their mark. I may have been a bit of a trailblazer in national broadcast TV sales and marketing, but soon after 1974, I was joined by many Iona graduates. The education I received at Iona served me well across more than four decades at CBS Network Sales & Marketing. My speaking voice and my presentation skills were all learned and honed to a sharp edge thanks to the professors at Iona.
In my early 50s, Iona ‘found’ me, and I enthusiastically responded to help the then-current students. At first, that involved Career Chats, taking students to The Late Show with David Letterman, and being available to help seniors get interviews at CBS. When our youngest son, Colin ’13 decided Iona was the right fit for him, both my wife Kathleen ’75 and I were then committed to being ‘multi-generational’ Iona alumni.
I’m very proud of our donation to the renovation of the library and the two partial annual scholarships in my parent's name (Christine and Patrick Daly) and our names, too. As annual contributors to the Brother Devlin Emergency Fund, we are committed to the mission of helping students who need extra financial help.”
The Power of Iona: The Student Experience
Amanda Maiorana ’25
The Frances & Frank Conese Endowed Scholarship Recipient
"At Iona, I love the many opportunities and support we have when it comes to finding internships, making connections and developing our skills for the future. With the help of mentors, I was able to gain experience at a tax internship with Karpos & Associates in New Rochelle, N.Y., which then led me to my dream internship at Ernst & Young in Stamford, Conn. Having the opportunity to receive two internships will allow me to gain valuable, on-the-job experience, and it is all due to the support I have here at Iona!
I have very high hopes for my future, and thanks to the generous support I've received and all that I’m learning at Iona, I know I can accomplish my goals and become successful."
What’s in Store
- Participants who make a gift of at least $25 or more will be entered into a raffle to receive Iona-branded socks and an “I Heart Iona” pin.
- Participants who make a gift of at least $100 or more will be entered into a raffle to receive an Iona branded bundle.
- Participants who make a gift of any amount at one of the alumni celebrations, will receive an “I Heart Iona” pin.
Alumni Celebrations
Iona University alumni and guests are welcome to join the day of celebration at these special alumni events on March 17:
- Breakfast at The Long Room - 120 W 44th St, New York, N.Y., 9-11 a.m.
- The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade - March up Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y.
- Gathering at The Beechmont Tavern - 750 North Ave, New Rochelle, N.Y., 3-5 p.m.
To learn more about Gaels Giving Day or to RSVP for an alumni event, please visit the Gaels Giving Day pre-launch page.
For students interested in marching in the St. Patrick’s Day parade, please visit the registration form.
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.