Health care giant NewYork-Presbyterian has given $20 million to Iona College to help establish the New York-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences. The new school will be headquartered on Iona”™s campus at 171 White Plains Road in Bronxville.
The school is expected to begin classes in the fall of next year, spokesperson Diana Costello of Iona told the Business Journal this morning. She said that some existing courses at Iona will be moved under the umbrella of the new school and that applications are now being accepted for new students. Approximately 25% of Iona”™s 2021 incoming freshman class is expected to pursue health sciences.
Costello said that Iona plans to conduct a nationwide search as part of the process of selecting a dean for the new school. Plans also call for several new health sciences programs to be developed, including those leading to degrees as clinical nurse specialists and medical technicians. Other new courses would involve areas such as nursing education and administration, physical therapy and speech therapy.
“This exciting new relationship with NewYork-Presbyterian is a unique opportunity to shape the future of Iona College, train the next generation of health care professionals, and support the communities we serve,” Iona President Seamus Carey said. “The NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences will provide Iona students with the opportunity to complement their liberal arts education with the knowledge and skills required to excel in the health care industry.
“Through our relationship with NewYork-Presbyterian, Iona will offer cutting-edge education in the health sciences with an eye toward meeting the demands of the health care industry,” he continued. “I anticipate it will become a model for mission-based collaboration between higher education and health care in the service of the public good moving forward.”
Steven J. Corwin, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian, said, “The pandemic has highlighted the critical need for health care professionals to be equipped with the training, skills, and flexibility to adapt and rise to new challenges. We are pleased to collaborate with Iona College to develop the next generation of outstanding health care professionals to help us lead the way in serving our communities and providing the very best care to our patients.”
Iona”™s Bronxville campus used to be the campus of Concordia College, which closed due to financial difficulties.
Iona expects that in addition to housing the new NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, the Bronxville campus will become a vibrant hub of activity hosting world-class seminars, speakers, performing arts, athletics, art exhibits, and summer camps. Iona”™s main campus is in New Rochelle.
The college was founded in 1940 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. It has an enrollment of about 4,000 students.
NewYork-Presbyterian operates 10 hospitals in the Greater New York area, along with more than 200 primary and specialty care clinics and medical groups and various other medical services.
