Accepted Students: Make Your Deposit
Iona University Students Learn Outside the Lines During Inaugural Study Abroad Program in Dominica
For a group of Iona University students, a recent study abroad program in Dominica became far more than an opportunity to travel. It was a chance to learn through immersion, service and direct engagement — with classrooms, communities, cultural traditions and national leaders — in ways that brought their studies to life far beyond campus.
Led by Iona’s Department of Education, the inaugural program introduced students to the many ways education, culture, environmental stewardship and public policy intersect in Dominican society. From visits in schools and communities to conversations with government officials, students explored the island through a global lens while deepening their understanding of what it means to learn in, from and with others.
At the heart of the program were visits to St. Mary’s Academy, an all-boys secondary school, and Alpha Centre, a specialized school for students with disabilities. There, Iona students observed and participated in classroom activities, gaining insight into different learning environments while engaging with students and educators in Dominica.
Beyond the classroom, students spent time immersed in the island’s natural landscape and cultural heritage. On excursions that included a hiking tour led by a member of the Department of Forestry, they explored the essential role the environment plays in Dominican life and the importance of conservation efforts across the island.
In the same spirit, students were given the unique opportunity to visit a newly constructed geothermal plant ahead of its official commissioning, gaining firsthand insight into one of Dominica’s sustainability initiatives and the country’s investment in renewable energy.
That sense of immersion continued during a visit to the Kalinago Territory, the largest officially recognized and remaining Indigenous community in the Caribbean. There, students learned from Kalinago elders through hands-on activities such as cassava bread making, basket weaving and a guided tour focused on plants important to the community’s traditions and way of life, offering a meaningful opportunity to connect cultural learning with lived tradition.
The group’s time on the island also included conversations with some of the country’s highest-ranking leaders, including Her Excellency President Sylvanie Burton, His Honorable Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy Barbara Dailey. Those discussions helped students better understand how Dominica is addressing key issues including education and climate resilience.
“This program was successful because everyone, from the students to our community partners in Dominica, believed in the possibilities of this program. We all understood the value of learning in a place as unique as Dominica.” Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Jonathan McCausland said. “This program is exactly what an Iona education is all about: student-centered experiential service-learning that is rooted in a deep ethic of care for community. As a result, students had their thinking challenged, got to reflect deeply on their role in the world and built relationships that will hopefully last a lifetime.”
As the first year of the program, the trip also marked an important step in expanding immersive global learning opportunities for Iona students. Participants represented every school at the University, multiple departments and both undergraduate and graduate programs, bringing energy, curiosity and enthusiasm throughout their time in Dominica.
"Being able to learn about and interact with different educational spaces found in Dominica was a transformative experience,” Spanish major Debora Diaz ’26 said. “In addition, immersing myself in the country's commitment to environmental conservation was eye-opening. As I continue purse a career in education, I hope to take all I have learned from my experiences in Dominica into the classroom and use it to become a better educator."
The Dominica program stands as another example of how Iona students learn outside the lines — not only by studying new ideas, but by living them. Through immersion and service, they returned to campus with a deeper understanding of education, culture and community, as well as a broader view of their place in an increasingly connected world.
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 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. 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.