Dr. Seamus Carey Named President of Iona College

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Dr. Seamus Carey, Ph.D., a champion of liberal arts education, will become Iona College’s ninth president, effective July 1, said James P. Hynes, the chairman of the college’s board of trustees.

Dr. Carey, who holds his doctorate and master’s degrees from Fordham University, will succeed Dr. Joseph E. Nyre, who has led the college since 2011 and was appointed president of Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., in February.

Dr. Carey has served as president of Transylvania University, a well-regarded liberal arts college in Lexington, Ky., since 2014.

At Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., he served as dean of arts and sciences for four years. He was chairman of the philosophy department at Manhattan College where he taught for nine years.

“Dr. Carey is the right person for 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.”

Dr. Carey, a Bronx native, earned his doctorate in philosophy and master’s degree from Fordham University, and a bachelor’s from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. He has published three books, which focused on the intersection of philosophy, parenting and family life.

“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,” he said.

Iona College has undergone many changes in recent years, including the launch of the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the development of a new core curriculum, the expansion of the campus footprint and an investment in health sciences programs. The college enrolls nearly 4,000 students.

The college has begun two major construction projects, with renovations and modernizations of the LaPenta School of Business and Spellman Hall. This month, Iona announced the Hynes Athletics Center will begin an extensive renovation this summer.

Dr. Carey, who is Catholic, and his wife, Noreen, graduated from Catholic high schools in the Bronx. He attended Mount St. Michael Academy, and she attended St. Barnabas High School. They are the parents of three children.