Iona College Celebrates National Mentoring Month – Let’s Get Everyone a Mentor!
Gaels Go Further Mentoring enhances support for students in their college and career goals. Sign up today!
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – As Iona College students set out to pave their own unique paths, they do so not only with the support of the College’s dedicated faculty and staff, but also with the guidance of a truly unique and valuable group – alumni mentors!
Iona places high value on mentoring and has a longstanding tradition of providing mentorship programs and opportunities. Now, Iona is proud to enhance its efforts by expanding its new Gaels Go Further Mentoring program. In honor of National Mentoring Month, let’s get everyone a mentor!
To start, all students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to be part of the GaelsConnect Networking platform. Similar to LinkedIn, this state-of-the-art platform is exclusive to the Iona community and is a great way to form and foster connections with fellow Gaels. Whether students are looking for career advice, insight into how to maximize their college experience, feedback on an entrepreneurial idea, or someone to speak with about their life goals, a member of the Iona community will undoubtedly have important insights to offer.
Even after graduation and as careers evolve, Iona alumni are welcome to seek out their own personal mentors, connect with Gaels around the globe and explore the wide range of industries in which Iona graduates are leading the way. Visit GaelsConnect to create a profile and start connecting today!
“Mentors play an invaluable role in a student’s life and development,” said Seamus Carey, Ph.D., president of Iona University. “Iona is truly blessed to have such a supportive, engaged and diverse network of alumni who are always eager to give back. We like to say that Gaels take care of Gaels, and that extends well beyond the campus. Once you are a Gael, you have access to one of the best alumni networks in the country.”
Developed as one of President Carey’s strategic initiatives and launched in Fall 2021, Gaels Go Further Mentoring taps into Iona’s network of over 50,000 alumni across a wide range of industries. In addition to the “flash mentoring” opportunities available via GaelsConnect Networking, the initiative also includes a long-term mentorship opportunity consisting of a two-credit course. This full academic year program matches students with dedicated mentors whose professional experience will assist them in advancing their career development.
Gaels Go Further Mentoring is made possible through the financial contributions and enthusiastic support of sponsors Jim Oates ’95 and his wife, Monica Oates ’95. Please contact program director Colleen Slattery at cslattery@iona.edu or (914) 633-2410 if you have any questions.
Make the Most of Your Mentoring Experience!
Gaels Go Further Mentoring is a valuable and rewarding experience for both students and alumni. But don’t just take our word for it. See what mentors and mentees in this year’s pilot program had to say about the program and learn more about the following opportunities:
- Mentoring & Career Exploration: A two-credit course where students and mentors are matched for support and career guidance throughout the academic year. Enrollment for the 2022-23 academic year will open in the spring. Please stay tuned for more!
- GaelsConnect Networking: A type of "flash mentoring" in which short-term interactions help to provide guidance in making informed choices. Create a profile and start networking today!
FROM OUR MENTEES:
“Experience is very important in the business world and my mentor has given me necessary tips and knowledge that I will be able to apply in the workforce… My mentor has taught me many things, which include life lessons, business knowledge, how to prepare for an interview, how to redesign my resume, etc. I would definitely encourage other students to participate in the Gaels Go Further Mentoring program. Having someone who has gone through the entire process of life is an important tool as they have so much knowledge and experience to share with others.”
– Gabriel Cinanni ’22, BBA Accounting
“Mentorship is honest and real advice from someone who has no real ‘stake’ in your life. They aren’t your parents, professors, advisors, etc. They take an interest in you out of genuine motivation and desire to give back to Iona students. I recommend this program to others because you really never know what bit of information you may learn that sticks with you as you navigate your career and life. It has definitely gotten me to think in new and different ways, and I’m very happy with the experiences I’ve had so far!” – Joanna Falisi ’23, BBA Entrepreneurship and BS Economics
"The Gaels Go Further mentoring program has been such a great opportunity to connect with alumni who are investing their time to help current Gaels be set up for success. I'm excited to build more connections through the program and build on everything I have learned so far from my mentor.”
Natalia Meray ’21 BBA Marketing, ’22 MBA Marketing
“My experience with the mentorship program has been great so far! My mentor and I have a lot in common and are both driven and focused on helping each other achieve our goals – it has been a wonderful opportunity thus, far and I am excited to see where it goes.”
Emily Stewart ’23, BBA Accounting
“The Gaels Go Further Mentioning program is the hidden gem in the Iona community. On this platform you have an opportunity to be paired one-on-one with a mentor or network with an extensive array of alumni. I encourage the entire Gael community to use this platform and make connections with alumni that can help us transform our future.”
Chris Wiggan ’24, BBA Finance
FROM OUR MENTORS:
“Serving as president of the Iona Alumni Association, I have seen firsthand that mentoring is a critical need for both students and alumni. Mentoring expands the understanding of the challenges mentees are facing while allowing the mentor to stay current with challenges students and alumni are seeing in their lives. There is no doubt that giving back makes the world a better place and it does not cost anything other than time.” – Michael LaPerch ’79, ’84MBA, Global Technology and Innovation Software Sourcing for Pitney Bowes
“I wanted to get involved in the Gaels Go Further Mentoring Program because of the mentors I had at Iona University— without their help, I would not be where I am now. Throughout my consulting and educational career, I have been able to influence and change the lives of many. By helping the next generation, I am also helping the next generation of mentors and this cycle can only lead to amazing contributions and manifestations. I want to give back because I was fortunate enough to meet several Iona University professors and Christian Brothers who shaped my future and influenced my thought process in an invaluable way.” – Flory Netsch Hiatrides ’83, ’86MBA, CEO, Awakened Events Inc.
“During my working career, I noticed that young professionals fresh out of college didn’t have the tools to adapt to the working world. I’m happy to bestow my experiences in the financial services world to future graduates to share experiences that are not taught in the classroom and prepare my mentee to deal with the transition from school to office. I want to continue to have a relationship with my mentee for the years to come so I can assess the progress of his career. With my assistance, we worked on interviewing skills, resume preparation and I have exposed him to potential real word experiences. He also recently obtained a prestigious internship with a ‘Big Four’ accounting firm.” – William Bianchi ’82, Retired Vice President and CPA at HSBC
“My upbringing and my Iona years always taught me to do the right thing. My career exceeds 30 years in the business world, thus a lifetime of business experience not available in a classroom. I joined this program because I felt sharing that experience via providing insights and guidance to a graduating senior would be helpful and the right thing to do. The most rewarding aspect of the program has been the energetic interactions with my mentees; both are highly energetic, intelligent and inquisitive. Every mentee interaction is an opportunity to serve the student and offer them an ongoing and open dialogue with a senior business leader that truly wants to help and guide them.” – Chris Connolly ’90, Client Director, Financial Institutions at Dun & Bradstreet
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.