Iona Students Put Learning Into Practice in Ireland
Study Abroad Experiences in Ireland Offered Iona Students New Perspectives on Their Future Professions
Iona students put learning into practice during an immersive study abroad experience at Iona's campus in Ireland.
This summer, students from across Iona University traveled to Ireland for immersive study abroad experiences that brought learning beyond the classroom and into hospitals, schools and businesses abroad.
The programs were based at Iona Ireland, the University's campus at the historic Westport House Estate in County Mayo. For students, the experience offered more than an opportunity to study abroad; it also provided a connection to the country where the educational tradition that shaped Iona University first took root.
Representing the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences, the Iona Communication Sciences and Disorders program and the LaPenta School of Business, students engaged directly with healthcare professionals, educators and industry leaders while gaining firsthand insight into how their fields are practiced in an international context. The experiences combined academic learning, professional development and cultural immersion, offering students new perspectives that will shape their future careers.
Through Iona's Healthcare Perspectives course, for example, nursing students observed practice at Mayo University Hospital, where they explored the Irish public healthcare system, universal healthcare and the nursing profession in an international context.
Associate Dean of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences Shery Watson noted that experiential learning remains a defining element of the course.
Iona nursing students explored the Irish public healthcare system at Mayo University Hospital.
“The Healthcare Perspective course provides students with the opportunity to learn about the nursing profession and healthcare system through a global lens,” she said. “Classroom discussions truly come to life as students learn outside of the traditional classroom setting through experiential learning."
For Grace Carroll ’27, the experience extended well beyond the clinical setting.
“Studying abroad in Westport, Ireland, was an experience that I will carry with me forever,” Carroll said. “The clinical exposure I gained gave me a new perspective on patient care and healthcare in a global setting.”
Graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders partnered with educators and school communities throughout County Mayo, supporting special education schools through classroom observations and collaborative case discussions.
The experience provided students with opportunities to engage directly with Irish educators and speech-language professionals while exploring communication support strategies across cultures and educational systems.
“Going to Ireland with Iona University was an unforgettable experience,” Lauren Staats ’27 said. “I loved visiting St. Brid’s and St. Anthony’s to learn more about the Irish school system and how speech therapy is practiced there.”
The experience was equally meaningful for faculty members, who had the opportunity to guide students' learning while engaging with educators and communities abroad.
The study abroad experience offered students new perspectives on the world around them.
“Teaching in Ireland was an incredibly meaningful professional and educational experience for both myself and our students,” Associate Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders Dorothy Leone said. “Our group of graduate students had the opportunity to engage directly with Irish educators, speech-language therapists and school communities, which broadened their understanding of school-based practice through a global and culturally responsive lens.”
According to Leone, the students' growth throughout the program was both tangible and encouraging.
“What stood out most to me was the students’ growth in confidence, clinical thinking and professionalism as they participated in case discussions, classroom observations and collaborative exchanges with professionals abroad,” Leone said.
Students in the LaPenta School of Business also put their classroom knowledge into practice through a weeklong consulting-style project with Portwest, a global workwear manufacturer headquartered in Westport.
Working on a real business challenge, students collaborated with company leaders and ultimately presented recommendations directly to Portwest executives.
“In one week at Portwest in Westport, Ireland, our students built on everything they learned in the classroom and applied it in a real company, in front of real executives, on a real business challenge,” Endowed Professor of Finance Arif Qayyum said. “Watching them present their recommendations to Portwest’s leadership team with confidence and professionalism was deeply rewarding.”
Though their experiences differed, students across disciplines shared a common outcome: a deeper understanding of their professions and a broader perspective on the world around them.
Graduate students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program visited St. Anthony's School in Ireland.
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.