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Loftus Award Celebration

Held annually during Heritage Week, the Loftus Award Celebration features the presentation of the Br. Arthur Austin Loftus Award to an outstanding Christian Brother. Long-serving faculty, administrators, and staff members are also honored.

Those who have worked at the University for 50 years receive the Facere et Docere Award; for 40 years, the Pro Multis Anni Award; for 30 years, the Bene Merenti Award; and for 20 years, the Pro Operis Award.

Both the celebration and award are named after Br. Arthur Austin Loftus, CFC (1904 - 1979). Br. Loftus was an extraordinary teacher, leader, and Brother who served as the University's second President, Provincial of the Congregation, and Superior General of the Congregation of Christian Brothers, the first non-Irish-born Brother elected to that post.

2024 BR. ARTHUR A. LOFTUS AWARD HONOREES

Stephen Casey

Br. Stephen Casey, CFC, ‘86

Immersions Coordinator
Mission Education
Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North America

Stephen Casey, CFC, class of 1986, is the Coordinator for Mission Education
and Immersion for the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North America Office
of Educational Services.

The son of two immigrants who came to the United States from Ireland at a
very young age, Steve Casey and his six brothers and sisters were raised in the
Flatlands, Brooklyn area. From his grammar school, Steve moved on to Power
Memorial Academy in Manhattan and met the Christian Brothers. It was there
that Steve realized a world much larger than his own neighborhood in
Brooklyn. After graduating from Power Memorial in 1982, Steve joined the
Christian Brothers, entering Iona College in 1982, where his love for service
and justice was just beginning to become the core of his life. At Iona College,
Steve contributed to the founding of HOPE Community Services, now one of
the largest social service organizations in Westchester County. The mission of
Iona became Steve’s mission to help bring change to a world in need.

Since graduating from Iona College in 1986, Steve has held many positions and
served in Christian Brother schools across the world: St. Lucy’s (1986-1989);
All Hallows (1989-1994); Catholic Memorial (1994-2003); Kimberly, South
Africa (2003-2004); and Bishop Hendricken (2004-2011).

Steve was called to establish the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Immersion
Program, which since 2011, has invited thousands of administrators, faculty,
staff, and students from Christian Brother schools around the world to learn
from, walk alongside, and serve those made poor and marginalized in our
world. Through the program, Steve has introduced these schools (including
many Iona University stakeholders) to poverty in Appalachia (Kentucky
immersion program); the realities and concerns of asylum seekers and refugees
(Brownsville, Texas immersion program); and marginalization and extreme
poverty in Lima (Peru immersion program).

He currently lives and serves in Canto Grande and Jicamarca, Peru.

MaryEllen Callaghan

MaryEllen Callaghan '05MBA

Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Board Secretary

MaryEllen Callaghan serves as Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and
Board Secretary at Iona University. She is an Officer of the University, member
of the Senior Leadership Team, and President’s Cabinet. She is the official
liaison to the Board of Trustees and engages routinely with Board of Trustee
members, senior level administrators, faculty, students, public officials,
legislators and legislative staff members and the general public, as well as with
presidents and senior level administrators of other postsecondary institutions
and partners.

Ms. Callaghan provides leadership and facilitates progress on core strategic
initiatives and campus-wide projects, providing prioritization, coordination,
consultation, and oversight in management, development and implementation.
She champions initiatives addressing challenges, identifying opportunities and
removing barriers to progress.

Ms. Callaghan is a professional with diverse industry experience including
corporate, non-profit, government and education. Ms. Callaghan joined Iona
University (then College) in 2002 as the Manager for Benefits and Employment
and has been promoted to multiple roles within the University. Prior to joining
Iona College, Ms. Callaghan served as the Manager for Community Service for
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. She has held positions at Junior
Achievement of the Hudson Valley, Inc., JP Morgan and Co. Incorporated and
with the United States General Services Administration.

Ms. Callaghan earned her baccalaureate degree from Pace University and her
Master of Business Administration from Iona University. She is certified by the
HR Certification Institute as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.


2024 Service Awards

10 Years of Service

  • Mr. Shamar Anderson, Campus Security
  • Ms. Pamela Bottge, Advancement
  • Mr. Martise Carruth, Information Technology
  • Mr. Anthony LoPresti, Network Services
  • Dr. Namrata Mitra, English
  • Ms. Catherine Salch, Liberty Partnership Grant
  • Dr. Bhaswati Sengupta, Economics
  • Dr. Alison Suen, Philosophy
  • Dr. Rachana Umashankar, Religious Studies
  • Dr. Michelle Veyvoda, Speech

20 Years of Service

  • Mr. Paul Coschignano, Trades
  • Dr.  NyoNyo Kyaw, Finance, Business Economics & Legal Studies
  • Dr. Sunghee Lee, Chemistry
  • Dr. John Meyer, Management, Business Administration & Health Care
  • Dr. Amy Stackhouse, English
  • Ms. Elizabeth Olivieri-Lenahan, Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  • Ms. Natalka Sawchuk, Ryan Library

30 Years of Service

  • Dr. Nicholas Beutell, Management, Business Administration & Health Care
  • Dr. Paul O’Connell, Criminal Justice

40 Years of Service

  • Mr. Samuel DeRosa, Sports Medicine
  • Dr. Robert Richardson, Business Analytics & Information Systems

Past Loftus award Recipients

  • 2023:
    • Patrick Sean Moffett, CFC, Ph.D., ’63
    • Elena Procario-Foley, Ph.D.
  • 2022:
    • Br. Kevin Griffith, CFC ’83
    • Frances Bailie, Ph.D.
  • 2021: Dennis Gunn, CFC, Ph.D., ’93 Assistant Professor, Education
  • 2019: Br. Raymond J. Vercruysse, CFC, Ed.D., '77
  • 2018: Br. Kevin Cawley, CFC, Ph.D.
  • 2017: Br. Joseph Gerard Morgan, Ph.D. ’75
  • 2016: Br. Henry Dillemuth
  • 2015: Br. Eugene O’Brien, Ph.D.
  • 2014: Br. Joseph A. Cussen, '57
  • 2013: Br. Harry Dunkak, Ph.D., '51
  • 2012: Br. J. Kevin Devlin, Ed.D., '61
  • 2011: Br. James A. Liguori, Ed.D., '65
  • 2010: Br. Robert Novak, Ph.D., '72
  • 2009: Br. Kenneth Chapman, '56
  • 2008: The International Christian Brothers, accepted by Br. Alfred Banda
  • 2007: Br. Jack Mostyn
  • 2006: The Iona Community of Brothers, accepted by Br. Joseph Morgan, Ph.D., '75
  • 2005: Br. Brian Walsh
  • 2004: Br. Charles B. Quinn
  • 2003: The Bicentenary of the Congregation of Christian Brothers (1802 - 2002)

Contact Us

Office of Mission & Ministry

Robert V. LaPenta Student Union


(914) 637-2772 (914) 637-2772