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Iona University Unveils Plans for New Media Center
Planned space brings together podcasting, broadcasting, virtual reality, esports and digital production in the heart of campus
Iona’s on-campus TV studio currently provides students with hands-on experience producing, shooting and editing campus news and entertainment for broadcast.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Iona University today unveiled plans for a state-of-the-art new media center, designed to unite its robust television, radio, podcasting, virtual reality, drone and esports programs into one collaborative hub in the center of campus.
As Iona’s academic and extracurricular programming in the digital arts continues to thrive, the new space will further support students as they “learn outside the lines” of the classroom, pursue their passions and develop career-ready skills in high demand.
“At Iona, we are constantly striving to innovate and elevate opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Iona University President Seamus Carey, Ph.D. “The new media center will not only provide a cutting-edge experience; it will also bring students together in a collaborative way to learn, experiment and grow together, staying grounded in the human-centered values that define an Iona education. We are so excited to see the myriad ways in which the Iona community will bring this space to life.”
The new media center will be located on the ground floor of Spellman Hall, across from the Murphy Green in the heart of campus. The 10,200-square-foot hub will replace what was formerly Vitanza dining hall, which has been underutilized since Iona opened its brand-new dining hall in the LaPenta Student Union in August 2025.
Highlights of the new media center include:
The control room will be equipped with the same state-of-the-art technology used in major broadcast studios.
- Podcast Studio
- Augmented/Virtual Reality Studio
- TV Studio
- Streaming Radio Station
- Media Content Creation Lab
- Production Control Rooms
- Esports Complex
- Drone Simulation
BUILDING ON THE MOMENTUM
The plan builds upon strong momentum already underway in Iona’s digital media ecosystem and will continue to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
In sports media, Iona students gain professional experience through ESPN+, providing high-visibility, Division I MAAC coverage. This new transformational space, anchored by a dedicated Production Control Room (PCR), will establish a true teaching environment while elevating the overall quality of the live productions. The control room will be equipped with the same state-of-the-art technology used in major broadcast studios, further adding to students’ toolkits as they capture video and broadcast live sporting events using both standalone and fixed cameras at Iona’s indoor and outdoor venues.
The space unites Iona’s robust television, radio, podcasting, virtual reality, drone and esports programs in the center of campus.
Iona’s on-campus TV studio currently provides students with hands-on experience producing, shooting and editing campus news and entertainment for broadcast. The University has also launched an annual film festival and is developing a partnership with a leading regional film studio to grow opportunities in filmmaking. WIUR, meanwhile, is an award-winning, student-run streaming radio station, and multiple University departments utilize the podcasting studio to create insightful commentary.
The 10,200-square-foot collaborative hub will be located on the ground floor of Spellman Hall in the center of campus.
In addition, as gaming continues to grow into a multi-billion-dollar industry, esports has emerged as both a competitive pursuit and a career pathway. Iona’s varsity esports team has won five MAAC Championships since its launch, while the club team continues to attract new players. Academic programming in esports integrates coursework from business, computer science, entrepreneurship, social sciences, and media.
The esports complex will also bolster Iona’s growing micro-credential drone program, supporting flight simulations, licensure and the use of drones across multiple fields such as criminal justice, media, television production, computer science, environmental science and other emerging fields.
“The new media center will serve as a launchpad for creativity and innovation, uniting student broadcasters, filmmakers, podcasters, gamers, and future entrepreneurs in one collaborative space. By fostering interdisciplinary work, it will also empower students to merge technology with fields ranging from history to health care to create immersive, real-world applications,” said Tricia Mulligan, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at Iona. “The potential here truly is limitless.”
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.