At Iona, education extends far beyond the confines of the classroom. From the mountains of Peru and the hospitals of Ghana to the hills of Appalachia and the border towns of Texas, this is where you will find students living the mission of Iona University.
Inspired by Blessed Edmund Rice and the Christian Brothers, Iona’s service-learning ethos is not merely educating the next generation, it is simultaneously shaping global citizens prepared to lead through the principles of presence, compassion and liberation.
What sets Iona’s immersive approach apart is the seamless integration of service with academic rigor and spiritual growth. This triad—mind, body and spirit—forms the cornerstone of Iona’s educational philosophy, both close to home and around the world.
Called to Serve: Peru
Step by step, rock by rock, the work of building a house at the peak of a Peruvian mountaintop isn’t an easy feat. Yet seven Iona students banded together to get it done for a family in dire need earlier this year in the rural town of Jicamarca.
Iona students and staff build a house in the mountain of Jicamarca, Peru.
“We are all called to be more like Christ,” said Ryan Murphy ’25, reflecting on the experience. “Through this mission, we were able to walk with the poor and be part of their community, which is really how Jesus lived, and that’s how I’m hoping to embrace this trip and continue it into my life.”
While in the mountains, Iona students also ran a day camp for the village’s children. In downtown Lima, meanwhile, they lived out the calling of Pope Francis’ Laudato si’ by planting vegetable, herb and flower gardens as they beautified the city streets.
Although challenging, students agreed it was a life-changing opportunity that opened their hearts and minds while expanding the limits of what they thought was possible.
“I’m proud of everything that we’ve done, but I’m most proud of the house that we built,” said Cara Donnelly ’25, the trip’s student leader. “Going there and seeing that we still needed to carve out some of the mountain, and then actually building and assembling the house, painting it and putting it together, I’m just so proud of this group of students who didn’t know each other before this trip and the work that we’ve done.”
Br. Stephen Casey ’86 is the man on the ground in Lima. There, he coordinates dozens of immersive service experiences for groups throughout the year. He said serving the poor was a lesson learned and honed during his time at Iona.
“I learned so much about what it meant to take the lessons of Blessed Edmund Rice and apply them to the world in which we live,” said Casey, who won this year’s Brother Loftus Award for his dedication. “I am so happy that today, in the year of 2024, so many Iona students are taking time to work with the poor around the world. Together, we make the Iona family. We turn around and we help people in need around the world.”
Compassion in Action: Ghana
Meanwhile, a continent away, in the heart of Berekum, Ghana, Iona nursing students rotated through various hospital wards. From maternity to pediatrics, students gained valuable clinical experience and immersed themselves in providing culturally competent care to those in their trust.
In Ghana, students work with public health nurses at their school health clinic to assess growth, development and administer medications.
“In Ghana, nursing students embarked on a transformative journey, honing practical skills and cultural competency that will shape their careers,” said Sherylyn Watson, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CNE, director of nursing and associate dean, who led the trip.
Nursing student Ashia Graham ’24 said the experience in Ghana “profoundly impacted my personal journey,” enriching her path with newfound humility and respect.
“We take so much for granted back home,” she said. “This is completely rewiring my perspective. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, even for a brief moment, is incredibly humbling.”
George ’63 and Barbara Landgrebe
Nursing Study Abroad Opportunity Fund
“We’re proud to support opportunities for Iona nursing students to study abroad. These life-changing experiences allow students to build leadership skills, develop new perspectives, and gain a deep understanding of global health issues. Iona University is uniquely positioned to provide these opportunities and we are thrilled to help in any way we can.”
Building Bridges: Texas Border
Iona students prepare bags of clothing for migrants.
At the same time, on the border of Texas and Mexico, another team of Iona students took to packing bags of hygienic supplies, food, clothing and diapers for exhausted migrants.
The trip provided an important perspective on the journey of asylum seekers, empowering students to become agents of change by giving them first-hand experience with some of the world’s most pressing issues—in this case, immigration.
By visiting the border wall and port of entry in Brownsville, Texas, Iona students said they gained a broader understanding of the complexities involved.
“Immersion trips are a one-of-a-kind experience that I recommend to any student,” said Xander Lorah ’26, trip leader. “When else are you going to have this opportunity?”
Transformative Connections: Jamaica
These experiences are not mere footnotes in students’ college careers. They are foundational, life-altering events that shape their worldviews and future trajectories.
This was true of the mission to Jacob’s Ladder in Jamaica, where Iona students supported children and adults with disabilities, empowering them with love, hope and friendship.
“This mission trip taught me what it truly means to serve,” said Alesandra Payne ’24.
Shakinah Silverberg ’24, who served as team leader for the trip, said the experience will stay with her forever.
“I am so grateful to Iona and the Office of Mission & Ministry for allowing my teammates and I to have this opportunity to grow in a way that would never have been possible otherwise,” Silverberg said. “My heart has never been fuller than while in Jamaica surrounded by acceptance and those with a genuine admiration of life.”
A Powerful Vision for Higher Education
The impact of these programs extends far beyond the individual students.
By engaging with diverse communities, Iona students become ambassadors of cross-cultural understanding and advocacy. They return to campus not only with stories to tell, but with a renewed sense of purpose and a more nuanced understanding of the world.
Iona in Mission Brownsville participants.
“This approach to education—experiential, service-oriented and globally minded—is increasingly crucial in our interconnected world,” said Sean D’Alfonso, director of Iona’s Office of Mission & Ministry, which organizes the Iona in Mission trips. “As the world grapples with deeply complex and consequential conflicts, the need for leaders who can think critically, empathize deeply and act decisively grows ever more important. Through its commitment to ‘learning outside the lines,’ Iona is cultivating just such leaders.”
This work is powerful, and it is also being applied closer to home.
In Camden, N.J., for instance, Iona students work with the Romero Center to prepare and serve food, visit community centers and learn about urban poverty, confronting the daily challenges of hunger, violence, unemployment and inadequate education. In Doddridge County, West Virginia, students learn about economic and environmental injustice as they construct homes and immerse themselves in the Appalachian way of life. Serving as counselors at Camp Friendship in Amory, Mississippi, meanwhile, Iona students lead activities for children in foster care as they learn about the challenges these youth face, including lower educational opportunities, homelessness, and anxiety.
Each of these experiences aims to promote awareness, empathy and action toward social justice.
To further this mission, Iona recently appointed Brother Kevin M. Griffith, CFC, ’83 to strengthen service-learning and community partnerships on behalf of the University.
At Iona, service-learning has three main components: academic coursework, a project with a community partner and reflection. The aim is for students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom as they help the local and global community tackle real-life issues through experiential learning.
“Iona’s identity in the tradition of American Catholic higher education, along with the legacies of St. Columba and Blessed Edmund Rice, give Iona a distinct spiritual charism that helps guide my work here in the field of service-learning,” Br. Kevin said. “As higher education continues to evolve, Iona’s model
offers a compelling vision for the future: one where academic excellence is interwoven with the values of faith, service, justice and the transformative power of education.”
Peggy Vosswinkel
Hank ’58 & Peggy Vosswinkel Mission Endowmen
“Seeing the impact mission trips had on our daughter, we wanted to provide Iona students with opportunities to engage directly with diverse communities, understand global challenges, and develop the skills needed to drive positive change. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that our contributions help to shape students who are deeply committed to making a difference in the world.”
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