IONA university is a caring academic community, inspired by the legacy of blessed edmund RICE and the christian brothers, which embodies opportunity, justice, and the liberating power of education. IONA university's purpose is to foster intellectual inquiry, community engagement and an appreciation for diversity. In the tradition of american catholic higher education, IONA university commits its energies and resources to the development of graduates recognized for their ethics, creativity and problem-solving abilities; their independent and adaptive thinking; their JOY in lifelong learning; and their enduring integration of mind, BODY and spirit.