From Campus to the Marine Corps, Tommy Byrnes '26 Leads Through Service
Byrnes’ experience as a criminal justice major at Iona transformed into a fruitful summer internship with the Marine Corps, where he will serve after graduation
New Rochelle, N.Y. - Family originally inspired Tommy Byrnes ’26 to join the Iona community and now the Brooklyn, N.Y., native has found a second home.
“I visited my sister at Iona and was able to see what the campus was all about,” recalled Byrnes, who is now majoring in criminal justice with a minor in psychology. “It immediately made me realize what kind of successful person Iona could turn me into.”
Whether he’s competing with his rugby teammates on Mazzella Field, leading the Irish dance team up Fifth Avenue at the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade or acting as the president of Iona’s Gaelic Society, Byrnes feels confident his college experience is preparing him for what lies ahead.
Being community-driven, Byrnes earned an internship as a Marine Corps officer candidate over the summer, where he will continue after he graduates in May.
“In my internship, candidates were held to a higher standard than they were in regular civilian life,” Byrnes shared. “They are responsible for demonstrating leadership, maintaining physical readiness, and exemplifying discipline.”
“I will start my eight-year contract as an officer and use my degree and knowledge that I have gained from Iona to go out and be the best Marine Corps officer I can be.”
Byrnes is grateful for how Iona has taught him to serve others.
“Iona is more than just a university where you come to get your degree and then go home,” he said. “Iona is a family that will always have your back and support you through every walk of life.”
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of 55,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering 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 advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 6 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review once again named Iona to its “Best Business Schools for 2025,” recognizing both its on-campus and online MBA programs. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with one of the nation’s top hospitals. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.