Iona University Holds Diversity Conference, Celebrates Inclusivity on Campus

The Diversity Conference kicks off the University’s partnership with The Equity Collective, bridging the gap between diverse student leaders and the finance industry

September 7, 2022

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (September 2022) — Iona University is launching its first Diversity Conference, developed as a reflection of Iona’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on its campus and beyond. The conference will take place in the LaPenta School of Business on September 9, and feature an array of panel presentations, Q&A sessions, networking opportunities and a keynote speech from an Iona alumnus, Carlos Muñoz ’10MBA.

Muñoz currently serves as the executive director, head of asset manager, diversity, equity and inclusion engagement of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. During his speech, Muñoz will highlight his important work with The Equity Collective, an industry leading group of wealth management and asset management businesses that have come together to educate, empower and develop the next generation of diverse leaders in the finance industry. Led by Morgan Stanley, The Equity Collective is composed of 27 members from leading financial organizations.

Alison Munsch, Ph.D., Iona’s new interim associate provost for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging will introduce Muñoz to kick off the conference.

“I’m honored to deliver the keynote speech for Iona’s first Diversity Conference, and excited to return to my alma mater. It’s so important for college students to know that the possibilities and jobs that are available to them are endless,” Muñoz said. “Too often, the finance industry loses out on diverse talent because they don’t think that there is a place for them at the table – with The Equity Collective, we’re trying to change that.”

The Diversity Conference will serve as the official kick-off to Iona's partnership with The Equity Collective, the organization’s first collaboration with a university. Over the course of the 2022-2023 academic year, the University will host a series of workshops related to resumé-building, interviewing skills, and networking, led by senior executives in the top asset management firms.

“Iona’s founding mission is to provide an educational opportunity for all, and that is essentially the theme for this conference,” Munsch said. “We want our students to feel empowered and know that their voices matter. We want to celebrate what makes each of us unique, while sparking these much-needed conversations amongst diverse perspectives in an inclusive environment.”

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.