Iona College history

The Murphy Center was built in 1910 and was originally the Mayflower Elementary School.

Opened in 1914, Iona College is the oldest Presbyterian School in New Zealand.

In June 1940, members of the Iona School community, along with members of the school's Mothers’ Club, gathered to dedicate a new science building on the school's campus – the building that the Mothers’ Club has raised $100,000 to build.

Only three members of the entering class went on to receive BA degrees in August 1944.

With his colleague, Fr Denis McCarthy OMI, he arrived on the property on 1 October 1957.

They had virtually no money and had a mere four months to get the site and its sparse buildings ready for a school to start on 28 January 1958.

In June 1966, Iona College issued diplomas to its first graduate students – which included two clergymen who earned their master's in pastoral counseling.

By 1968, the college conferred its first MBA degrees.

In 1984, the Murphy Center was incorporated by Iona.

Since 2005, the Robert V. LaPenta Student Union has been home to student activities and organizations.

The expansion of Hagan Hall has been made possible by the largest donation in the college’s history in November 2015, $15 million, by Robert V. LaPenta ’67, ‘00H as part of the college’s $150 million Iona Forever Campaign.

The residence hall opened in August 2016 and a group of 300-plus students are able to say that they are the first residents of the North Avenue Residence Hall.

On January 28, 2021, the presidents of Concordia College and Iona announced that the Concordia campus would be acquired by Iona College forming part of a new Bronxville campus.