Iona’s Institute for Thomas Paine Studies Featured in The New York Times’ Account of “How Americans Learned to Love Thomas Paine”
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the release of Common Sense, reporter Jennifer Schuessler and photographer Tony Cenicola of The New York Times visited the Iona University Institute for Thomas Paine Studies (ITPS), contributing discourse to the publication’s depiction of “How Americans Learned to Love Thomas Paine.”
Led by ITPS program director Dr. Nora Slonimsky, the group engaged in conversation surrounding Paine’s legacy, exploring artifacts from the institutes’ archives such as early printings of Common Sense, Paine’s writing kit and commemorative coins from his 1792 trial in London.
In her discussion with the Times, Slonimsky detailed the unique audiences often compelled to the research of Paine, noting that — whether it be his upbringing, opposition to hereditary power or willingness to share his opinion — individuals from all walks of life seem fascinated by his legacy.
“He’s accessible in a way that many other figures of the period are not,” said Slonimsky.
To learn more about ITPS’s role in How American’s Learned to Love Thomas Paine, read the full story here.
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 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.