How an Unexpected Psychology Elective Led Kimberly Romero ’27 to a New Career Path
Iona’s 4+1 program is preparing Kimberly Romero for a career centered on employee motivation, engagement and well-being
Through Iona University’s 4+1 program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Kimberly Romero ’27 is preparing for a career helping organizations improve employee motivation, engagement and well-being.
Kimberly Romero ’27 didn't set out to specialize in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. She found the field almost by accident, in an undergraduate psychology course that introduced her to a discipline she'd never heard of before.
“I first heard of Industrial-Organizational Psychology in one of my undergraduate psychology courses, where I became interested in the subject and wanted to pursue a career in this field,” Romero said. “I want to help people and organizations thrive.”
By the end of her sophomore year, the Yonkers, N.Y., native applied to Iona's 4+1 program, which allows students to complete a bachelor's and master's degree in five years. She's on track to earn her undergraduate degree in 2027, majoring in psychology with a minor in business management, and her master's in I-O Psychology in 2028.
“Being part of the 4+1 program at Iona has helped me gain a deeper understanding of the field, as well as hands-on experience with the methods used,” Romero said.
Within the field, Romero has gravitated toward the HR side of the work: the practical, day-to-day question of what makes employees engaged, motivated and willing to stay.
That focus has shaped her coursework and projects. Romero has conducted her own research and presented findings to her classes, and she completed a project applying Applied Behavior Analysis, a method used in workplaces to increase or decrease specific employee behaviors.
That interest in the practical side of the field has carried into her internships, first as a behavior therapist at Achieve Beyond in White Plains, then as a legal intern at the Resource Community Center in Mamaroneck.
She credits much of her progress to faculty in the Psychology Department who brings their own professional backgrounds into the classroom.
"The professors who teach about I-O Psychology are very dedicated to the field and even share personal work experience, which has helped me choose which path I want to pursue," Romero said. “My experience at Iona has been wonderful. There are so many resources provided to students and the community is amazing."
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 over 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 Nursing & Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2026, 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. 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.