Seamus Carey, Ph.D., a national leader in higher education, who has been vocal on the relevance and importance of a liberal arts education, will become Iona College’s ninth president, beginning July 1, 2019, announced James P. Hynes, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Iona College. Carey will succeed Joseph E. Nyre, Ph.D., Iona’s first lay president, who has led the College since 2011, during a time of unprecedented growth.
Hynes said that 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.
Prior to his role at Transylvania, Carey served as dean of Arts and Sciences at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut and was chairman of the philosophy department at Manhattan College where he taught for nine years.
“I am truly honored to join a community that understands the power of education and its ability to develop character, broaden horizons, and transform lives,” said Carey.
Carey joins Iona College during a period of unprecedented growth including the launch of the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the development of a new core curriculum, the expansion of the campus footprint, including the addition of two new residence halls, and an investment in health sciences programs such as Occupational Therapy and Communications Science Disorders.
Currently, the College has two major construction projects in progress with renovations and modernizations of the LaPenta School of Business and Spellman Hall, and, this month, Iona announced the Hynes Athletics Center will also commence a transformational renovation over the summer. Iona is also achieving record levels of fundraising.
"I couldn't be more excited for this opportunity and look forward to being a proud Gael," expressed Carey.