Iona University to Host Fall Conference Exploring the Future of Teaching in the Age of AI
New Rochelle, N.Y. – Iona University’s Gabelli Center for Teaching & Learning (GCTL) will host a full-day conference this fall titled “The Future of Teaching: Writing, Reading and Thinking in the AI Age,” welcoming educators, faculty, students and the community for an immersive exploration of how artificial intelligence is transforming the educational landscape.
Scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Iona’s New Rochelle campus, the conference will bring together experts across disciplines to share creative, practical strategies for cultivating both foundational skills and AI-aware pedagogy in today’s classrooms.
“We’re proud to bring together thought leaders, educators and innovators for this important conversation,” said Tricia Mulligan, Ph.D., provost & senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “This conference represents the Gabelli Center’s mission in action: supporting faculty and community engagement while empowering educators to respond meaningfully to the opportunities and challenges AI presents.”
John Warner
John Warner, award-winning writer, educator and author of “More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI,” will deliver the keynote address.
His talk will set the tone for a day of thought-provoking presentations and interactive panels on writing, reading and data science.
“This event builds on the momentum of the Gabelli Center’s transformative work,” said James Mustich, senior advisor to the president. “We look forward to welcoming educators from across the region to share in a vibrant day of dialogue and discovery.”
Conference Schedule
Ryan Library, Romita Auditorium – Iona University, New Rochelle Campus
- 8:00–9:00 a.m. | Check-in
- 8:30–9:00 a.m. | Continental Breakfast
- 9:15–10:30 a.m. | Keynote Address by John Warner (Q&A to follow)
- 10:40 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Writing and Thinking: Tracing Interests and Influences in the AI Age
- 12:00 p.m. | Gabelli Center Ribbon-Cutting & Presidential Remarks
- 12:30–1:00 p.m. | Lunch
- 1:00–2:15 p.m. | Do They Even Need to Read Anymore? AI Literacy vs. Literacy Literacy
- 2:30–3:45 p.m. | Data Science for Future Leaders
- 3:45–4:30 p.m. | Group Discussion
Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
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.