News Releases

New Rochelle, NY; October 4, 2006 – Brother James A. Liguori, CFC, Ed.D., has accepted a fourth and final term as president of Iona College. In announcing the news today, Patrick J. Lynch, chairman of the Iona College Legal Board of Trustees, said, “We are pleased and gratified that Brother Liguori will continue his stellar leadership of this exceptional College. His diligence and vision have propelled Iona beyond the Board’s expectations, and we expect that the future will hold many more successes under his stewardship.”

In response, Br. Liguori said, “Throughout my tenure as president I have been blessed with the support of Iona’s dedicated faculty, administration, and staff, and the invigorating presence of a bright and talented student body. In addition, it gives me tremendous satisfaction to see the College keep growing stronger and more competitive. Those factors played a great part in my decision to renew my commitment to Iona College. ” His fourth term will end June 30, 2011.

Appointed the seventh president of Iona in January 1995, Br. Liguori developed and implemented two Presidential Strategic Plans. He spearheaded an impressive institutional transformation evidenced by increased enrollment, substantial improvement in the caliber of Iona’s faculty and students, commitment to fiscal responsibility, record levels of capital development and an ambitious campus building plan. The College is now regularly ranked in publications including U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Top Colleges” and The Princeton Review’s Best Northeastern Colleges.

In 2005 Iona concluded an $83 million comprehensive campaign. Vision Into Reality funded building projects that include the Iona College Arts Center (opened October 2000), renovations of the science building and the Mulcahy Campus Events Center, a new main entrance, an endowment for more than 23 scholarship funds, the Robert V. LaPenta Student Union (opened August 2005) and the Hynes Athletics Center (opened January 2006).  The College also opened two new residence halls in 2003.

Br. Liguori was born in the Bronx and raised in New Rochelle, NY. He attended Iona Preparatory School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in English from Iona College in 1965. He subsequently earned a Master of Arts in English education from SUNY New Paltz.  He also holds an M.A. and a P.D. (professional diploma) in Educational Administration, and a doctorate in Educational Administration, all from Fordham University.

His nearly 40 years of experience in academic administration includes terms as principal at secondary institutions such as Rice High School (1973 – 1976), Iona Prep (1980 – 1989) and Bishop Hendricken High School in Rhode Island (1992 – 1993). He also completed terms as the Associate Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York (1977 – 1980) and Superintendent of Schools (1989 – 1992) for the Archdiocese of Newark. He was named Executive Vice President of Iona College in 1993.

He currently sits on the Boards of Directors for the Independent College Fund of New York; the M.A.N. Foundation; Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, New York; Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas; Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, New York, and Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina.

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, currently listed in the US News and World Report's annual "America's Best Colleges 2007" and The Princeton Review's Best Northeastern Colleges 2007 edition, 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:
Cecilia Donohoe
Public Relations Office
Iona College, 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801
tel: (914) 633-2005 fax: (914) 637-2711
cdonohoe@iona.edu

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