Diego Aguilar '26 Builds Community on Campus and in the Big Leagues
New Rochelle, N.Y. - This summer, Diego Aguilar ’26 went from helping Iona students feel at home as a resident assistant to giving fans behind the scenes access to home plate at Citi Field.
A Long Island, N.Y., native, Aguilar found his fit at Iona because of its reputation for excellence in marketing and business education.
“I chose marketing as my major because I've always been drawn to understanding people,” Aguilar shared. “The marketing department has provided exceptional instruction, industry insights, and opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios."
A driven student both in and out of the classroom, Aguilar is a welcoming presence on the Iona campus as both a resident assistant and a Gael Guide.
"As a residential assistant, I support and guide student in their transition to campus life, fostering a safe and inclusive living environment.”
Aguilar gives perspective residents the full rundown of the Iona campus as a Gael Guide and first-year orientation leader. “I welcome new students, help them navigate resources, and represent the university to prospective families."
Involving himself in the community and taking skills from transformative classes, Aguilar earned a move to “The Show.” As a Premium Experiences Intern for the New York Mets, he gained real-world experience in one of Major League Baseball’s most cutting-edge clubs.
To ensure an impactful gameday experience for fans, Aguilar prepared and executed pregame routines at Citi Field. “On game days, I helped facilitate exclusive experiences such as coordinating the ceremonial first pitch and escorting clients to batting practice for behind-the-scenes access,” he said.
While in Queens, Aguilar noticed the impact of his experiences in New Rochelle. “Being involved on campus with leadership roles helped me get better at communicating and working with others, which definitely came in handy when I was with the Mets."
Aguilar transformed skillsets learned in Iona classrooms into passions that will help him hit his future goals out of the park.
“I’m motivated to keep pushing toward a career where I can combine my love for sports with storytelling and connecting with people.”
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.