A visionary leader, a dedicated educator, a committed Christian Brother—only three of the characteristics on the long list of adjectives that can be aptly attributed to Iona College’s seventh President Br. James A. Liguori.  Liguori’s tenure is marked with accomplishments, as he transformed Iona from a small commuter college to a booming residential campus with reputable academic accreditations during his 17 years as president.

“Archeologists often say, ‘Man is best described by what he leaves behind.’  A rich contribution of inspiring and impactful leadership for 17 years is what Liguori created at Iona College. His delivered vision for the Iona community and institution will be felt for generations.  The career accomplishments of Liguori expand from building to building of the campus, and from heart to heart of students, faculty, staff and administrators,” praises Special Executive Assistant to the President Sr. Patricia M. McGinley. 

On May 15, 2011, not only will the Iona community bid the graduating class of 2011 farewell as they embark on a bright future that their Iona education has provided, but the community will also say goodbye to a beloved president. The legacy that Liguori will be leaving behind is widely recognized across the Iona community as students, faculty, administrators and staff reflect on the impact of Liguori’s leadership, dedication to academia and commitment to the mission of the Christian Brothers.

 

A Visionary Leader

 

Speaking with the members of Liguori’s cabinet, one theme remained constant: Liguori is a man of immense leadership and vision. “Br. Liguori took a college that was in a problematic state [and] he took it to a position of prominence,” says Professor of Philosophy Alexander Eodice, who served as Dean of Arts and Science during 2001-2008. 

Iona’s transformation under Liguori has been remarkable.  Implementing three strategic plans, Liguori has not only renovated the college in terms of building new residence halls, a state of the art new library, the Iona College Arts Center, Hynes Athletic Center and LaPenta Student Union, but also in terms of academic revitalization. With the success of the strategic plans, “Brother has positioned us [Iona], so that we’re ready to move to the national level,” explains Vice Provost for Information Technology Joanne Steele.

Steele recalls her work on the construction of the newly renovated Ryan Library, calling it a “once in a lifetime experience.”

 Presented with the great opportunity, Steele and other members of the project were able to redesign the library from start to finish presenting a cutting edge resource to the Iona community. 

“Br. Liguori was a president with a vision.  He had a strategic plan that brought aspects of that vision into fruition.  It gave those of us who worked with him the opportunity to advance the institution,” says Eodice.  Steele also praises Liguori’s vision and dreams for Iona, grateful for the opportunity he has given her to dream and set goals for all that Iona can be and allowing her to work to accomplish those goals.

Liguori’s vision and leadership has transformed Iona into a nationally recognized institution of excellence, attracting the best and brightest from across the country.  All of Liguori’s accomplishments were carried out not simply to better the institution itself, but to benefit the institution’s most important pillar—the students.

 

A Dedicated Educator

 

Liguori has devoted his life to education, and his years are at Iona are no exception.  The three strategic plans were each enacted to provide a better Iona for the students in terms of campus life, as well as academic life. 

During his tenure, Liguori has been instrumental in cultivating Iona’s academic prestige, accruing accreditations that add value to both the institution and to each individual student’s diploma.  Prospective students are drawn to Iona not only for its beautiful campus, but for its prestigious academic programs.  According to the Iona Magazine, “The College is currently listed in The Princeton’s Review Best Northeastern Colleges and is cited among the top schools in the North according to US News and World Report’s annual ‘American’s Best Colleges 2010.'”

Liguori built academic departments and added new faculty in order to provide the highest quality of instruction to Iona’s students, Eodice explains.  With the renovations to the library, new equipment and laboratory space for the science department, and new program initiatives, Liguori’s leadership has created an atmosphere that emphasizes the importance of education and new technology in an ever changing world. 

Service and devotion to the students was Liguori’s primary focus during his presidency at Iona.  In all of his projects and endeavors, Liguori reminded all the people with whom he worked that Iona’s primary focus needs to be service to the students, Steele explains.  It is Liguori’s love of teaching and high regard for a quality education that has made Iona the prestigious institution it is today.

 

A Committed Christian Brother

 

Founded by Christian Brothers in 1940, Iona has long served the mission of Blessed Edmund Rice and the Catholic Church—placing high emphasis on the importance of an education grounded in the Catholic tradition.  Iona’s focus on mission and service during Liguori’s tenure strongly accentuates Liguori’s devotion both to Iona and to the tradition of the Christian Brothers.

“Br. Liguori could have done anything he wanted—earning big profits as the head of a major corporation, but instead he was called to life in the Church,” says Director of Mission Integration Regina Plunkett-Dowling. 

Plunkett-Dowling notes that Liguori possesses outstanding qualities of humility, care and determined work ethic that not only identify him as an extraordinary Christian Brother, but also an extraordinary individual; “I admire the way in which he took very brilliant gifts and put them towards service for the benefit of the students.”

Whether at an Iona College basketball game, an open house event, or simply walking around campus, Liguori makes sure to stop and converse with students, faculty, and staff regardless of their prominence on campus. “Brother takes the time to get to know everyone’s name.  He pays attention to everyone on campus regardless of who you are, taking the time to get to know everyone who he encounters individually,” Plunkett-Dowling said.

Not only does Liguori exhibit a caring and humble nature while on campus, but also a disciplined work ethic that does not cease until all is accomplished.  “No one works harder than Brother,” explains Plunkett-Dowling. “Brother is exceptionally organized and able to work on many different projects at the same time.  Iona’s campus moves faster than any other campus I’ve been on,” explains Steele.

It is Liguori’s deep devotion to the mission of the Christian Brothers and the Catholic Church that have truly defined his accomplishments at Iona. His humility and care towards the members of the Iona community and his work ethic toward his myriad of accomplishments will define his legacy for years to come.

 

Farewell to a Beloved Leader

 

Upon his departure from Iona, it is clear that Liguori has impacted the college in more ways than many can fathom.  He was not merely a president, but a mentor, a colleague and a friend. 

“During my five and a half years in my current and previous roles on campus, I have enjoyed working for a leader who sets clear, high expectations for those working at and attending Iona College,” Director of Off-Campus Housing Michele L. Sampson said, who also tries to incorporate Liguori’s qualities of leadership in her own “philosophy of leadership.”

For administrators, faculty, students and staff it is difficult to imagine Iona without Liguori. He has been a staple of not only Iona, but of the New Rochelle community. Liguori has been an influential part of Iona College in constructing Iona’s academic prestige and residential community—creating an esteemed nationally recognized institution.

In embarking on a new journey with the college’s eighth president, Joseph Nyre, the Iona community is looking forward to building upon the foundation that Liguori has brilliantly constructed, paving the way for continued excellence for Iona in the future, and will forever remember the legacy of their beloved seventh president.