Iona University Launches into Fifth Year of Gaels Go Further Mentoring
Mentorship programs connect students and alumni to foster personal and career success.
Iona University recently celebrated the growth and success of its Gaels Go Further Mentoring Programs, a bold initiative that connects students and alumni through meaningful, one-on-one mentorship. Now entering its fifth year, Gaels Go Further has evolved into a dynamic, University-wide initiative offering a broad range of mentoring and networking opportunities. On September 17, the milestone event welcomed more than 100 alumni mentors and student mentees for an evening of celebration in the LaPenta School of Business Atrium.
“Relationships are cultivated here; they are critically important and something we emphasize in everything we do,” said President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., addressing the crowd. “From the way we design our spaces to the way we shape classes and programs, our focus is on creating connections. This mentoring program is a remarkable extension of that ethos.”
Designed to support students’ career development and personal growth, Gaels Go Further has become a cornerstone of Iona’s commitment to student success and career readiness.
Today, the programs encompass four key components:
• Mentoring & Career Exploration Course – A one-credit class integrating mentoring and career planning into the undergraduate experience.
• “On the Rise Podcast,” Career Conversations & Networking – Panels, events and interviews give students access to alumni insights and career journeys.
• MBA Mentoring Program – Tailored connections between MBA students and experienced alumni for industry guidance.
• Flash Mentoring – Quick, informal career conversations facilitated through the Gaels Connect platform.
“Our goal from the beginning was simple: any student who wanted a mentor would have one—and that has been true to this day,” said Jim Oates ’95, chair and alumni sponsor of the Gaels Go Further Mentoring Programs and president of the Iona University Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. “The generosity of our alumni has consistently outpaced student demand, creating even more opportunities to explore. And what’s remarkable is how the cycle continues: alumni mentoring alumni. I still seek mentors in my own life, because we all need guidance as we navigate the next chapter.”
Since its inception, the program has seen over 350 mentees and 130 mentors participate, with more than 2,500 members active on the Gaels Connect platform.
“Students become alumni, mentees become mentors, and the cycle continues,” said Cathy McCabe ’85, vice chair of the Gaels Go Further Advisory Board and current Iona Trustee. “I’ve witnessed this with one of my mentees, Mo Salah ’23, who is thriving in his career and now mentoring others. This ripple effect is exactly what we envisioned when we launched the program.”
Student mentees who have participated in the program have gone on to work for organizations like Goldman Sachs, Google, P&G, Deloitte and Morgan Stanley, to name a few. Over 90 percent of students said they would recommend the program to peers, and 93 percent said their mentor helped them identify and refine personal and professional goals.
“The advice I received from my mentor helped me better understand my career goals and the steps I need to take to achieve them,” said Victoria Curreri ’26, a finance major who interned as an analyst for Goldman Sachs Ayco over the summer. “I highly encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.”
Tricia Mulligan, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, said that as the programs enter their fifth year, the impact is clear. “Hundreds of mentoring matches have been made; friendships have flourished long after graduation; internships and jobs have been secured; students have gained the confidence to pursue new opportunities; and alumni have rediscovered the joy of giving back.”
For more information on involvement opportunities with the Gaels Go Further Mentoring Programs, please contact Matthew Ricker ’18, ’24MA, assistant director for Student-Alumni Engagement.
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 once again named Iona to its “Best Business Schools for 2025,” recognizing both its on-campus and online MBA programs. 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.