Ryan Murphy ’25 Fuses His Passion for Sports Media and Service at Iona University
New Rochelle, N.Y. – From standing on the sidelines of basketball games with a camera in hand to spotting him at nearly every Office of Mission & Ministry event, Ryan Murphy ’25 has found his calling by combining sports media and mission-driven work at Iona University.
“I had the opportunity to film a March Madness game live in front of 14,000 people and perform with the Iona Singers at Radio City Music Hall,” said the Millbrook, N.Y., native. “These are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that Iona has made possible for me."
As a media assistant for Iona Athletics, Murphy has gained invaluable hands-on experience that has sharpened his technical and digital production skills. But it doesn’t end there.
When he is not editing content in Ryan Library, Murphy juggles his various roles and interests across campus, one of which is serving as a student Campus Minister.
“Serving as a Campus Minister has provided me with a variety of opportunities,” he said. “Learning about the social justice issues that are prevalent in our country and the world and advocating for the betterment of all human life has been very impactful in my life.”
Through the Office of Mission & Ministry, Murphy has also been involved in several global service opportunities.
In January 2024, he served in Lima, Peru, building a home for a family in need and running a day camp for children in the mountain village of Jicamarca. A year later, in January 2025, he expanded upon that experience, serving as the student leader for the Iona in Mission trip to Ireland, where he worked with the city’s homeless population.
Locally, he also extends his time to support affordable housing efforts with Fuller Center by helping to construct and repair homes.
“We are all called to be more like Christ,” he said reflecting on his Peru experience. “Through this mission, we were able to walk with the poor and be part of their community, which is really how Jesus lived, and that’s how I’m hoping to embrace this trip and continue it into my life.”
As graduation approaches, Murphy is eager to deepen his commitment to community service.
“Being a Campus Minister has opened my eyes to the needs of the community and the world,” he said. “Whether that is a year of service, or providing full-time service, I know I will be serving people around me.”
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.