There are likely very few individuals who are as busy as Liam Volz, GSB ’26, walking about the greystone confines of Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus. To be sure, while such a statement may indeed initially sound hyperbolic, should anybody have the opportunity to spend just a few minutes sitting and chatting with Volz, they will quickly come to find out just how much the junior actually has on his plate — Volz’s schedule is crammed full of the various commitments that come with being a star student-athlete on Fordham’s track and field team, a rather full course load that stems from his enrollment in the Gabelli School of Business Honors Program, a demanding, yet worthwhile, finance internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and all the other unexpected craziness that life throws at you. Bluntly, in Volz’s own words, “I’m pretty busy.”
However, despite having to navigate this full schedule that would certainly best and cripple the vast majority of the student body, Volz has managed to maintain and cultivate what is potentially the calmest and most easy-going disposition on campus — none of his close friends can seem to recall a time where he outwardly let stress or anxiety get the best of him in any way. Additionally, and potentially more impressively, Volz has also cultivated an impressive work-life balance that most people can only dream of, the junior regularly taking the time to explore and enjoy almost every single inch of our metropolis’ five boroughs: “I love exploring New York — one of my favorite things to do is finding a place in the city that’s quiet and doing work there for a change of scenery. I like to give myself at least one day a week where I can get out, leave campus for a bit and not think about school or anything.”
As a result of all this, Volz has become a model in dealing with stressful and overwhelming situations par excellence to those around him, his calm in the face of an undeniably daunting schedule functioning for all as a potential guide on how to successfully navigate the challenges of being an uber-busy college student in New York City. When asked directly about what sorts of pointers he would give to others so that they may achieve his level of zen and time-management mastery, Volz offered up the following bit of sage advice: “Honestly, my biggest tip is making your own planner and taking pride in it. It seems small, but having a place where you can write down every assignment and cross things off can be satisfying and help you stay well-organized. It’s especially helpful when professors give you an entire course schedule with the syllabus at the beginning of the year. However, most importantly, don’t ever put school or work commitments over your mental or physical health.”
Finally, in terms of what is next for Volz, his schedule is not likely to get any easier or lighter in the coming months. He is set to work through the demanding course load and course work that Gabelli’s Honors Program requires, and he will continue to grow into his leadership role on Track and Field. Potentially most exciting (and daunting), however, is the fact that Volz is going to begin a highly prestigious corporate banking internship at the Royal Bank of Canada once his time at Memorial Sloan Kettering comes to a close. However, in his typical fashion, Volz does not seem fazed by the prospect of such a demanding future schedule, instead taking up and practicing a monk-like zenness in reference to what’s yet to come — “I’m just taking life one step at a time,” he said. “I’m very much looking forward to my internship next summer and for the classes I registered for next semester, but I always try to live in the present instead of thinking about what’s next.”
