Meet Noelle Go New Ro Student Leader!

Go New Ro Student Leader – Noelle Alegado

Year:  Class of 2013

Major: Biology

Why do you love Iona?

I love Iona because of all the opportunities available for students to become involved. Students are given a chance to be involved in what interests them academically, whether it is through research or internships. Additionally, there are numerous ways to become involved in extracurricular activities through various clubs and organizations. I feel that becoming involved on campus really helped me feel like I was a part of the Iona community, even as a commuter student. The opportunities at Iona have made my college experience what it is today and this is just one of the many reasons why I love being a Gael!

What was your favorite aspect of Go New Ro?

My favorite service experience with Iona is the Midnight Run, givign clothes and food to the homeless of NYC. After going on my 1^st run during freshman year, I realized the importance of serving others and learned a lot about the impact of simple gestures. Although I only experienced a portion of Go New Ro last year, I enjoyed being able to share my experiences, such as the Midnight Run, with incoming freshmen while participating in a service activity.

Favorite New Rochelle Restaurant: Mirage Diner

Favorite leader: Mother Teresa

What clubs, organizations and team do you participate in?

Commuter Student Association, Edmund Rice Society, Student Government Association, Biology Club, IC Green, and the Iona Animal Rights Coalition.

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Friends of Edmund Celebrate Heritage Week: Bolivia Continues to Reflect

It’s been a little over a month since I returned from the first Iona in Mission Bolivia trip with my team. Ever since I was a freshman I promised myself I would not graduate without going on a mission trip, and here I am in the last month of my senior year, proud to say I accomplished that goal.

Till this day I am still overwhelmed by all the different emotions I experienced on my trip. It was in fact the most transformative and influential experience I have ever had in my life. I think my team would agree when I say I was a very different person before Bolivia. Through many nightly reflections, tears and a lot of tissues I opened my heart to Bolivia.

While I was in Cochabamba I reflected a lot on my life before the trip. One of the main themes brought up in reflection was the presence of God. Before I left on this trip I was going through a very difficult time in my life. I didn’t feel Gods presence and I hadn’t felt it for a long time. This was a struggle for me, especially in Bolivia.

The connections we made on this trip made me feel whole again. It brought back life into a person who just wanted to let go. The one aspect that transformed me the most were the children. Over the course of the week we visited many schools, daycares an orphanage and homes in the mountains. Every day was new for us, and every day I started off the day nervous. These children changed my life. They brought happiness back into my life, that I didn’t even realize I was lacking. I truly believe I felt what unconditional love was that day and for the rest of the week. None of these children knew us or knew anything about our lives. From the minute we stepped into their classrooms they never left our side. At times we had fifteen to twenty children hanging off of us just wanting to hold any part of our hand they could reach. Their joy was contagious and opened my heart.

We learned from the brothers that most of these children suffered from the ills of poverty, such as abuse, abandonment and disease, just to name a few. Going into this trip I thought about what I would be doing, I would volunteer, help and I would donate. I never expected the one and only thing these children wanted was love. The simplicity of giving back to these children is what changed my life. Just giving them a hug, or telling them they are beautiful or even just holding their hand for comfort meant the world to them and me.

An example of the way the children and the brothers led us through this journey was the day me and my two other teammates hiked up the mountains with brother Renato to visit the children. It had rained the night before and none of us were ready for the experience we had. The mountains were all mud, our shoes were ruined after our first few steps. All three of us clung to eachother arm and arm helping eachother up the muddy paths. Every now and then we would look up the path to see Brother Renato swiftly walking up the mountain. This day was one of the most physically and mentally straining day we had and at the end of it I sat with Renato reminiscing. I was amazed at the fact that he climbs up that mountain every day to visit these children and he just stated it was what he was called to do.

The Brothers commitment to service is what inspired me everyday. That inspiration stayed with me as I returned home and discerned what to do after graduation. My connection to the children and brothers of Cochabamba is so strong that is compelled me to put my acceptance to John Jay Graduate Program on hold and break the borders of my heart and return to Cochabamba.

I naively thought I would be helping to change the lives of the people of Cochabamba, what I didn’t know is that they would be changing me. This experience and these children gave me my happiness back, they gave me strength and they gave me the greatest love I have ever felt and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.

-Jacqueline Keeley '12

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Friends of Edmund Celebrate Heritage Week: New Orleans Continues to Reflect

I left for New Orleans with my life heading in one direction. I returned with it heading in the complete opposite direction. Growing up my older sister knew what she wanted to do from the day she was born. I never had a plan for my life. I did not have a clue what I wanted to do. As a sophomore, I declared a criminal justice major. Not because I felt passionately about my desire to work in that field, but because I didn’t know what else I wanted to do. My attitude was, “why not?”

The Iona in Mission:  New Orleans trip-the most amazing experience of my life-changed that. I was given the answer to the “why not” I had asked myself in the past. The same way I did not know what to expect when declaring a major, I did not know what to expect when I headed down to New Orleans. Spending seven days together in this amazing city, the sixteen people who accompanied me taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

One lesson I learned occurred on a ten-minute return trip from Home Depot, in the back of a pickup truck, my life changed irrevocably. Beautiful trees, cars, people and houses passed me. However, there was still so much destruction. Most of the people driving down the road have grown accustomed to the devastation. While I had my iPhone out to capture what my words couldn’t describe, the residence and every day commuters seemed to have a blank stare as everything flew by them when they carried about their day. They seem to act as if this is how things always were.

We pulled up to Trinity Lutheran Church, where we had been working and as I got up to jump out of the truck I froze and just stared. What I saw took my breath away. Twenty-five people from all over the country, who had no tie to the city, no reason to be there, were all working together, as hard as they could, to complete a church.

There was one thing off about the situation, though, and it took me a while to figure out exactly what it was. Everyone working had been working for hours; they were covered in sweat, and looked exhausted. Yet, they all had smiles on their faces.  Not only that, they continued to smile until the day’s work was done. In that moment I realized that until then, I had had it all wrong. I realized what I want to do. My passion is to give my life helping those who need it in any way I can.

People ask all the time what life the meaning of life is. This trip helped me create my own definition. An anonymous author wrote a poem that help put what I learned and experienced into words. It reads, Life is not about keeping score. It’s not about how many people call you or your number of Facebook friends. It is not about who you have dated.  are dating or haven’t dated at all. It’s not about who you've kissed. It is not about what sport you play or how your favorite sports team is doing.  It’s not about your shoes or hair or the color of your skin. It’s not about where you live or went to school. It's not about grades, money or what colleges accepted you or not. Life is not about if you have a lot of friends or if you are alone. It’s not about how accepted or unaccepted you are. Life just isn't about any of the mundane “things” we allow to distract us from what REALLY matters.

The fact is, life is about who you love and who you hurt. It's about how you treat and what you do for others. Life is about trust, happiness and compassion. It’s about sticking up for others and replacing inner hate with love. Life is about avoiding jealousy and overcoming ignorance. It’s about what you say and what you mean. It's about seeing people for who they are and not what they have. Most important, life is about touching someone else's in a way that would not have achieved otherwise.

I can truly say the trip, and its members not only touched my life; It, and they, changed it. In that one brief moment, I began a new journey.  Since then I changed my major to public relations and have been getting more involved at school.  This would make for a nice resume or college essay, but not that’s not why I do what I do.  Instead of being a student just passing through campus going about my day, I choose to be a student who extends helping hand to anyone who needs its.

The definition of compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. The Christian Brothers are the epitome and embodiment of compassion. My team and I devoted one week of our lives to help the people still suffering from damage of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Giving up our spring break may seem like a lot but it really is not when we look at the Christian Brothers, who really know the meaning of sacrifice. They devote their entire life to serving others. They gave up and give up so much to help the people around us everyday. I learned this first hand. While we were in New Orleans our Iona Men’s Basketball Team made the NCAA National Tournament. We all wanted to watch the game together and with out any hesitation the brothers provided for us. Brother Casey, Brother Concannon and the other Brothers, as well as Father Michael Joseph gave their time and opened up their Parish to us. They set up chairs, ordered food, and let us watch the game on a projector so large that felt like we were in a movie theatre. Two days later the Brothers opened up their home to us for a dinner and a reflection of the week. What really was humbling about everything they have done for us was we weren’t the ones suffering. We were there to serve other. And while we were serving others, the Brothers were still serving us. There is no tangible gift they can receive or expression of thanks that correctly justifies all the work the Brothers not only did for us, but what they do for others on a daily basis.

Yet, that is not even the most important lesson I gleaned from my trip to New Orleans. The most important lesson I learned was during the last day. We all sat in a circle, remembering the events of the week and the laughs we shared. Everyone kept saying how happy they were with the way the trip turned out. As my new friends continued to say that it hit me; we are not in control-God is.

He has a plan for me just like he had a plan for that whole trip. The church I attend at home had numerous opportunities to participate in a trip to New Orleans. Unfortunately there was always a complication and I was not able to take part. I now see that God had a planned my trip to New Orleans before even enrolled at Iona College. His plan is perfect and I am thankful for that plan because I would not exchange my experience in New Orleans, and everything He has done since then, for anything in the world. Even when we don’t understand it or see it unfolding, I know that we need to trust in Him and in His plan. Because when we do, anything is possible. Mahatma Gandhi said and I believe to be true is that “The best way to find yourself, truly, is to lose yourself in service of others.”

-Matthew Romano, '14

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Go New Ro Leadership Team 2012

Meet Colleen! Go New Ro Student Leader

Name: Colleen Ciriello

Major: Social Work

Graduation Year: 2014

Hometown: Pompton Lakes, NJ

Why do you love Iona?

I love Iona because of how friendly of a community it is.  Since the moment I stepped on campus I always felt welcomed.  It is this quality that struck my interest in the school as well as the quality that makes me a proud member of the Iona community.

What was your favorite aspect of Go New Ro?

When I was an incoming freshman on Go New Ro I became much less nervous to enter college because of the friendly environment.  Getting to meet upper class students as well as other incoming students was my favorite part of my Go New Ro experience.

Favorite New Rochelle Restaurant: Smokehouse

What clubs, organizations and team do your participate in?

Best Buddies, Iona in Mission Committee, Tara Knights Society, The Iona Players, and the Social Work Club

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New Orleans Team Continues to Reflect

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita tried to steal away the peace and the happiness of the city and its people. Only 7 years ago, Louisiana was left devastated by this tragic natural disaster. Although the pain and destruction that were left was immense, and it hurts to look back, NOLA is a city of hope. The people have managed to overcome the problems and move forward.  

This trip was a true life changing experience where we faced the reality of life.  There is still a lot to be done, even after 7 years, parts of the city are still in ruins, families are homeless and need our support.  The experience of interacting with the rest of the team, sharing our thoughts, hard work and dedication created close friendships that will last forever.   Working to our potential all day and every day definitely paid off.  We were very satisfied with our achievements and we hope to go back soon.  We realized how every task requires a lot of effort, every detail of a house or a building requires a lot of dedication, patience and love.

Even if we were tired at the end of the day, on our way back to Camp Restore, we would sing out loud, have fun and enjoy our time together in NOLA. We were always happy that the goal of the day was accomplished. The time flew by!  Many tasks were accomplished, and lessons learned--we are sure that our lives have changed from the projects that we helped complete at Trinity Lutheran Church.

The trip was a success thank you NOLA 2012 team for making this the best week of my life, thank you Travis Wain our Student Leader, Jessica Morales and Luke Gregory our moderators, Tiffany DiNome, Iona in Mission Coordinator,  and all of those who made this wonderful trip possible! Special thanks to the city of hope, for warmly welcoming us!  

-Jaime Marroquin '14

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