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New Rochelle, NY – December 13, 2006 – Iona College launched a $10 million capital campaign, Visions of Excellence: The Campaign for Iona’s Library, last night at the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square. The launch celebration was hosted by Robert and Julia Greifeld, both members of Iona’s Class of 1979. Mr. Greifeld is Chairman and CEO of the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.

In his welcoming remarks, Greifeld noted, “If it were not for Iona, 1) my wife and I would not have met and 2) we would not be where we are today.” In an interview with Iona’s alumni magazine, Greifeld elaborated on this theme. “The liberal arts education I received at Iona challenged me to formulate my own thoughts, to reason and think, to find the subjective answer as opposed to the 'right' answer,” he said. Describing his first encounter with his future wife, Greifeld recalled that she asked to borrow a section of his New York Times. The couple has now been married 24 years and has three children.

The goal of Visions of Excellence is to raise $10 million in order to fund a 14,000 square foot, two-story addition to Ryan Library, along with a new main entrance facing North Avenue. The addition would house a learning and resource center, enlarged study and reading spaces, a multimedia room and group meeting rooms. An attractive new library entrance would complement the New Rochelle Streetscape, enhancing the appearance of the surrounding neighborhood and creating a “college district.”

Iona College recently completed an $82 million campaign, Vision into Reality, which funded the construction of a new arts center, student union, and athletics center. President Br. James A. Liguori said, “Built in 1948, Ryan Library must be expanded and updated if Iona is to keep pace with the research and study needs of the college community. Our competitor colleges have built new libraries in recent years; in order to continue attracting high caliber students and faculty we must do likewise.”

So far, $5.2 million has been raised in the campaign’s quiet phase. Iona alumni Patrick Lynch ’59, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Pat Martin ’62 and Robert LaPenta ’67, ’00H have each donated $1 million to the campaign.

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 and Best 237 Business Schools 2006, 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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