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Each Call Iona "One of the Finest Institutions in the U.S."

New Rochelle, NY - US Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) ignited the excitement at Iona's 60th Annual Commencement exercises with words of congratulations for the graduates. Senator Schumer entertained the audience with a personal story of his first post-college years and then stated, "Congratulations, you are graduating, not only from one of the finest institutions in this region, but in our state and in the United States."

Bernard Kerik, former New York Police Department commissioner and former interim minister of the Interior and senior policy adviser to the US Presidential Envoy in Iraq, offered an inspirational commencement address that provided a glimpse into his triumph over adversity throughout his life and especially on Sept. 11 during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Playing off the Iona motto "Fight the Good Fight," Kerik said he has fought the good fight since he was 18 and encouraged the Class of 2004 to "follow your dreams and insert that will." Kerik also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the ceremony to which he echoed Senator Schumer, and acknowledged, "Today I am receiving an honorary doctorate from one of the best colleges in the country."

Alfred Alasia, former head of the film department at the Television Workshop of New York and inventor of Scrambled Indicia, the technology that creates images invisible to the naked eye used to thwart counterfeiting, also received an honorary baccalaureate degree. Alasia was a freshman at Iona in 1943, but was drafted to World War II and did not complete his degree.

Click here to view some photos from the commencement ceremony.

Founded in 1940 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, Iona College is a private, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of American Catholic higher education. Iona offers 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 post-graduate certificate programs.

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For questions or more information please contact:
Meghan Finn
Public Relations Office
Iona College, 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801
tel: 914 633-2005 fax: 914 637-2711

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