Iona University 2025 Trustees Gala Raises Record-Breaking $2 Million for Student Scholarships, Honoring Partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian
Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
New Rochelle & Bronxville, N.Y. – Iona University raised a record-breaking $2 million to support student scholarships at its annual Trustees Scholarship Award Gala on April 8, 2025, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
Dr. Steven J. Corwin, president and chief executive officer of NewYork-Presbyterian, was presented with the esteemed Iona Legacy Award in recognition of his exceptional leadership and commitment to the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences.
Established July 2021, the school offers a new vision for collaborative health care education, modern workforce development and community engagement. The NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences is rooted at Iona’s new 28-acre campus in Bronxville, located just 1.5 miles from NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester.
Speaking to a capacity crowd of over 500 people, Iona University President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., recalled how he had wanted to develop a new school of health sciences when Iona was initially acquiring the Bronxville campus in May 2021. But it was only the seed of an idea.
One day, over breakfast, Dr. Carey discussed the idea with a trusted advisor and current Iona Trustee, Alfred F. Kelly Jr. ’80, ’81MBA, ’19H, retired chairman and CEO of Visa.
Unbeknownst to Dr. Carey at the time, Mr. Kelly is also a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Board of Trustees. He immediately brought the idea to Dr. Corwin, and Dr. Carey recalled how an introduction turned into a quick connection.
Over 500 people joined the celebration, raising $2 million to support student scholarships.
“Within two or three minutes, I realized Dr. Corwin had a vision for this school, how it would work, and how important it would be. The blueprint for the school was already in his mind before noon that day,” Dr. Carey said at the podium. “Fast-forward four years, and it is clear NewYork-Presbyterian and Iona not only share the same values, we share the same noble calling. Our job is to make the lives of the people we serve better. And so, I could not be more grateful to every one of you here tonight, because you are supporting that mission.”
In accepting the award, Dr. Corwin thanked Mr. Kelly for facilitating the opportunity, as well as the Boards of NewYork-Presbyterian and Iona for their trust. He also praised Dr. Carey as a tremendous partner.
“Trust and partnership are words that get thrown around a lot, and I think to a certain extent, we have devalued those words a bit,” Dr. Corwin said. “Iona exhibits that this has been a true partnership. And when you’re a partner, it’s not just transactional; you think about the other partner, you think about what’s good for them and not just what’s good for you. And you have trust that you both share the same set of values, and that those values will guide you forward.”
Dr. Corwin also took the opportunity to recognize six Iona nursing students graduating in May – announcing they will be hired by NewYork-Presbyterian.
“These young nurses who are graduating really demonstrate that people care about other people, that humanism runs deep, that faith runs deep, and that we can all strive to emulate those values that we profess to have,” Dr. Corwin said. “When you look around this room tonight, you have to believe in the future of our country and the future of all the young people that we educate and train in health care.”
In addition to emceeing the event, Mr. Kelly also co-chaired the evening with his wife, Peggy Kelly ’81, ’84MBA. In Bronxville, the Kelly Center for Health Sciences is named in their honor and serves as the school’s flagship building. Mr. Kelly said the night was a wonderful celebration of the strong and growing partnership between Iona and NewYork-Presbyterian.
“Together, we are building a healthier, stronger and more connected community, and together we are planning the future of health care in Westchester and across New York City,” said Mr. Kelly. “Dr. Corwin’s visionary leadership, not just in health care, but in community building, has made a profound impact on all of us. And his dedication to both innovation and compassion is truly inspiring. We are so thankful for his continued support of Iona and our students.”
Seamus Carey, Ph.D., President, Iona University; Steven J. Corwin, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, NewYork-Presbyterian; and Alfred F. Kelly Jr. ’80, ’81MBA, ’19H, retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Visa.
Tim Hughes, Vice President, Operations, NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester; The Honorable Richard Gephardt, President and Chief Executive Officer, Gephardt Group; Mary Marvin, Mayor of Bronxville Paul J. Dunphey, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester and President, NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital; and Mary Behrens, Bronxville Village Trustee.
Performances by Iona University’s Irish Dance and Pipe Band kicked off the evening.
Iona University nursing students Kathleen Fenlon ’25; Guadalupe Ceja ’25; Maya Peluso ’25; Molly Guillaume ’25; Ava Kotliar ’25; and Alyssa Urena ’25.
Iona University’s Trustees Scholarship Award Gala was held on April 8, 2025, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
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.