Christian Brother Kevin M. Griffith, CFC, ’83 joins Iona University to Extend New Community Partnerships for Service-Learning
Brother Kevin is an Alumnus and former Iona Board of Trustees member
New Rochelle, N.Y. —Iona University is proud to announce that Brother Kevin M. Griffith, CFC, ’83 will serve in a newly created role to strengthen and build community partnerships for service-learning at Iona University.
At Iona, service-learning is a faculty-led academic experience with three main components: academic content, community partnerships and reflective experiences. Iona faculty from any academic discipline may offer a service-learning class. Br. Kevin’s outreach to community partners will help establish more opportunities for the development of additional service-learning courses. Dr. Nadine Cosby, associate vice provost for Academic Affairs and Dayna Richardson, coordinator of Study Abroad and Service-Learning will be working with Br. Kevin to drive progress.
In addition, Br. Kevin aims to connect the University’s Study Abroad and Iona in Mission trips with co-curricular service opportunities that will provide students with the tools necessary to become advocates for social justice around the world. Sean D’Alfonso, director of Mission and Ministry, and Br. Kevin will collaborate on ways to incorporate co-curricular service-learning opportunities as part of the student experience.
The integration of service-learning pedagogy at Iona University is a manifestation of the ideals and values articulated in the University’s mission statement.
“Iona’s identity in the tradition of American Catholic Higher Education, along with the legacies of St. Columba and Blessed Edmund Rice, give Iona a distinct spiritual charism that helps guide my work here in the field of service-learning,” he said.
Prior to joining Iona, Brother Kevin Griffith served as the Provincial Leader of the Christian Brothers in North and Latin America. In 2022, he also won the Loftus Award, which spotlights an outstanding Christian Brother or long-serving faculty, administrator and staff member at Iona. From 2014-2023, he also served as a member of the Iona Board of Trustees.
“We are excited to work closely with Brother Griffith to strengthen service-learning offerings to students. Students will benefit from participating in reflective experiences that facilitate deep critical thinking, academic learning and social justice skills,” said Nadine Barnett Cosby, Ph.D., associate vice provost for Academic Affairs.
Brother Kevin believes the cornerstones of Blessed Edmund Rice’s charism – presence, compassion and liberation – are the foundations that guide not only his faith but also his leadership within the service-learning program.
These cornerstones align with Iona’s commitment to faith, scholarship and service.
His office is located in the Office of Study Abroad and Service-Learning in Driscoll Hall. He can be contacted at kgriffith@iona.edu.
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 more than 50,000 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 is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2024 national list of “The Best 389 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. 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 NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. 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.