Iona’s DI Athlete Cara Donnelly ’25 Embraces Growth Through Community and Service
New Rochelle, N.Y. – Cara Donnelly ’25, a media & strategic communications major from East Meadow, N.Y., discovered Iona University’s welcoming community during her first campus visit, solidifying her decision to compete as a member of Iona’s Division I women’s rowing team.
“Choosing Iona is a decision I am grateful for every day. Iona has given me amazing friends, unique experiences, and has shaped who I have become today,” said Donnelly, former captain of women’s rowing.
Donnelly’s achievements also include serving as a student campus minister. Her area of focus is prison ministry. Running the Women to Women program, she connects young women from Iona with incarcerated women in a nearby prison, providing emotional support and friendship.
In addition, as the Iona in Mission coordinator, Donnelly has also had the opportunity to participate in transformative immersion trips.
She reflected on her experience leading a mission trip to Lima, Peru, where she spent nine days serving families, building houses, and working at a summer camp, saying: “Leading the Peru mission trip is an experience I will never forget. It gave me a new perspective on service and is something I’ll always cherish.”
Academically, Donnelly has developed a deep interest in digital literacy. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prominent, she believes that “digital literacy is a skill everyone has the responsibility to learn. Media influences our lives, and we should all think critically about the messages we receive.”
Looking ahead, Donnelly is eager to pursue a fulfilling career that allows her to help others.
Thanks to the Gaels Go Further Mentoring Program, she also feels well-prepared for her next steps after graduation, and wants to work in a role where she can make a positive impact.
“I am incredibly grateful for my time at Iona,” she said. “Every interaction with faculty and staff has been supportive, creating a positive environment that fosters success.”
As she prepares to graduate in May, she hopes every student has the enriching experiences she has enjoyed.
“Iona has truly been the best four years of life, and I will always cherish my time 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 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.