Iona College honored Vice Provost for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Joanne Steele by presenting her with the 2014 Woman of Achievement Award on March 25.

Every year the Women’s Studies program sponsors the Woman of Achievement Award Celebration, which recognizes one woman’s accomplishments during Women’s History Month every year.

Administrators, faculty members and students, as well as Steele’s friends and family gathered in Burke Lounge to celebrate her accomplishments as a role model for women.

The award ceremony started off with a slideshow of photos.

In her acceptance speech, Steele thanked her family and colleagues and Iona College for helping her get to the point she has gotten to today.

Steele especially thanked her family for being the ones who put the biggest smile on her face from day to day.

Steele recalled when she first entered Iona College as a freshman.

“Ever since I stepped onto Iona’s campus as an undergraduate student there was something about it that captured me,” she said. “The buildings, the people and the environment made me even more certain that it was the school for me, and I fell in love with it. Iona College has empowered me in the path toward my career.”

Joanne Steele attended Iona as an undergraduate, earning degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science. She proceeded to obtain her MBA from the Hagan School of Business.

Steele is one of many members credited with the renovation of Ryan Library, providing students and staff with cutting edge technology resources.

Resources of the library that were affected included one of the first wireless networks in the country, the Peoplesoft system, new and improved work stations for students and updated Mac computers.

In Dr. Joseph Nyre’s opening speech honoring Steele he said, “Joanne Steele dedicates herself to providing technology for students and staff while maintaining privacy for all. We are grateful and glad to have her as an alum of Iona College.”

Dr. Robert Schiaffino, chair of the Computer Science Department, and one of the speakers for the evening, complimented Steele.

“[She is] a great mentor, role model and teacher within the Iona community, not only dealing with students, but also with fellow faculty and staff members,” Schiaffino said.

Through her hard work and dedication, Joanne Steele has shown that she wants to make Iona College the best it can be technologically. She continues to move Iona College forward technologically to aide in the success of its students in their paths toward the future.