When it opened its doors in 1940, Iona College, founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, sought to provide an affordable education to New York’s working class. Over 70 years later, the College’s mission remains the same.

Between then and now? Well, despite its mission remaining the same, it is fairly safe to say that a bit has changed.

For the first few years, Iona provided a quality liberal arts education to a small number of students. The tough economic times of the early 40s, coupled with the United States’ engagement in World War II, caused the College get off to a tenuous start. With the guidance of its President Br. William Barnabas Cornelia, the College survived the tough times brought on by the war. The college began to see tremendous growth when the College’s second President Br.. Arthur A. Loftus took over in 1946. Despite having a graduating class of 71 students in 1948, the College graduate number increased to roughly 300 in 1950.

Since those times, Iona has not looked back, and has sought to continually expand. Beginning primarily as a commuter college (the housing of Rice Hall was reserved for the Christian Brothers), the College has constantly striven for growth in terms of providing its attendees a certain level of amenities.

In 1990, the College’s expansion project led to the construction of Loftus Hall, the 10-story residence hall that roughly 390 freshmen currently call home. The construction of this residence hall was the first step in the College’s growth, as it continued to build new areas with its students in mind.

In 1995, Br. James A. Liguori took charge as the College’s seventh President. Under Liguori’s tenure (he is currently nearing the end of his fourth and final term), Iona continued to expand physically and academically. Unequivocally, Liguori, like those who had come before him, strove to make the College a better place that students would want to attend. Under Liguori, a number of the student improvement projects were started and completed, including the addition of the Robert V. LaPenta Student Union and the two diametrically opposed residence halls, Conese Hall and South Hall.

In the modern day, Liguori transformed Iona into an integral part of the New Rochelle community. Under his tenure, Iona has successfully been added to a number of college listings which cite the most desirable places to receive an undergraduate education.

Additionally, the leadership that the current president has provided has made Iona an extremely important economic engine to the New Rochelle area. In both direct and indirect spending in the New Rochelle community, Iona is responsible for accruing over $60 million and supports 1,700 local jobs.

Iona’s continued growth makes it a desirable place to receive both an undergraduate and a graduate education. At only 71 years, Iona’s history has been storied, but brief. Beyond any doubt, the College, under the next president, Joseph Nyre, will continue to further its educational mission and continue to make Iona a better place.