Iona Marketing Student Lea Preston ’26 Hits It Out of the Park with Phillies Internship
New Rochelle, N.Y. – For Lea Preston ’26, choosing Iona University came down to opportunity, both in the classroom and beyond.
“I decided to attend Iona because I loved that it was very close to New York City and future career opportunities,” said the Perkasie, Pa., native. “I was recruited to be on the Women’s Water Polo team, and the athletics at Iona have brought me lifelong bonds.”
Drawn by the reputation of Iona’s LaPenta School of Business and its proud alumni network, Preston dove headfirst into campus life.
A marketing major and member of the Honors Program, she’s made the most of every opportunity to lead and learn.
“Consumer behavior is something that has always intrigued me, and now I am working on my senior thesis based on consumer decision fatigue with my professor,” she shared.
Beyond her success as a Division I student-athlete, she serves as vice president of the Marketing Club and is an active member of the LaPenta Student Advisory Board.
“It is so important you get involved early and in multiple ways. It can only help you,” she said. “Being vice president has given me leadership and communication skills I would have never gained without being involved.”
She credits Iona with offering “so many activities and clubs” as well as “career readiness/networking events,” emphasizing how much students gain by being engaged.
This summer, Preston put her Iona preparation into practice as an intern with the Philadelphia Phillies.
In this role, she supported Phillies ticketing operations by assisting fans with inquiries, purchases, and access to the MLB Ballpark app. She also contributed to game day operations, special events, public relations and club/suite services. Additionally, Preston helped troubleshoot facial recognition technology and resolved technical issues, ensuring fans had a seamless experience accessing their tickets.
“I aim to gain practical experience in sports marketing and sales by contributing to fan engagement initiatives and understanding the ticketing strategies of a professional sports team,” she explained. “I also hope to refine my customer service skills within the dynamic environment of the sports industry.”
Reflecting on her Iona experience so far, Preston shared: “Iona has taught me how to show up, put in the work and lead. Being a student-athlete especially gave me the grit to go after what I want and to stay confident, no matter the challenge.”
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 recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2024.” 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 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.