Seamus Carey, Ph.D., a national leader in higher education, who has been vocal on the relevance and importance of a liberal arts education, became the ninth president of Iona College on July 1, 2019, as announced by James P. Hynes ’69, ’01H, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Iona College.
According to Hynes, Carey was selected from a large field of outstanding candidates on the strength of his tenure as president of Transylvania University, a highly regarded liberal arts college in Lexington, Ky., where, since 2014, he transformed the campus, successfully led the school’s commitment to diversity and inclusion efforts, and forged strong ties to the city’s civic and business communities.
Carey also was an effective leader at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., where he served as dean of Arts and Sciences for four years. Prior to Sacred Heart, he was chairman of the Philosophy Department at Manhattan College where he taught for nine years. With each role, Carey focused on ensuring that students’ experiences incorporate the study of the liberal arts and prepare them for successful careers.
“President Carey is the right person at the right time at Iona College,” Hynes said. “A highly regarded leader, philosopher and academic, he has all the necessary skills and vision to build on Iona’s successes and ensure its legacy among Catholic colleges.”
A Bronx native and first-generation college student, Carey earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy and a Master of Arts degree from Fordham University and a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College. He attended Harvard’s Management Development Program and the Executive Leadership Academy sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges. He published three books, which focus on the intersection of philosophy, parenting and family life, and is a contributor to Huffington Post.
“I am truly honored to have joined a community that understands the power of education and its ability to develop character, broaden horizons and transform lives,” said Carey. “I couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity and am already a proud Gael.”
Thomas Moretti, Ph.D., chair of the College’s Faculty Senate, said he was tremendously impressed by Carey’s background and philosophy. “President
Carey deeply values the liberal arts tradition,” Moretti explained, “and he knows its goal for Iona faculty and students alike: to forge ahead together on the path of goodness, success and civic purpose. We welcome his leadership, his acumen and his vision, and we are happy to be working with him.”
“I’m really excited about the campus community and the culture here because I’ve seen the power of the Iona education and what it can do for students in terms of liberating them to explore all kinds of possibilities.”
In recent years, Iona College has undergone a great many changes, including the launch of the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation; the development of a new core curriculum; the expansion of the campus footprint, including the addition of two new residence halls; record levels of fundraising; and an investment in health sciences programs such as Occupational Therapy and Communication Sciences and Disorders. The College completed renovations and modernizations on Spellman Hall and the Hynes Athletics Center. And this winter, a transformational renovation of the LaPenta School of Business will be completed.
“President Carey has a reputation of believing in and engaging
with students,” said Hannah McGowan ’20, president of Iona’s Student Government Association. “He recognizes their individuality and knows firsthand that education is about providing students with the tools and values to make a difference in the world.”
A devout Catholic, Carey is married to his wife, Noreen, whom he met in high school and who graduated from Manhattan College. He attended Mt. Saint Michael, and she attended St. Barnabas, Catholic high schools in the Bronx. They have three children: Caitriona, a 2018 graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Anna, a senior in the Honors College at the University of Kentucky; and James, a freshman at Gettysburg College.
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