Student with generous heart sets sights on physical therapy career

Liam Lundy is on the path to receiving his second degree with the University of North Florida after graduating from the Hicks Honors College and earning his bachelor’s degree in exercise science this summer.

Coming from Melbourne, Fla., Lundy was originally drawn to the University after hearing about the positive experiences his sister had while on campus.

“A majority of my favorite UNF memories came from freshman year since it was the year before COVID started and I got the full college experience,” Lundy commented. “I met my roommate that year and worked with a lot of exceptional students.”

Dr. Leslie Kaplan, director of UNF’s Hicks Honors College, remembers him fondly.

“Liam and a buddy had dining dollars left at Thanksgiving when we were hosting refugee students on campus,” shared Kaplan. “They contacted Chick-fil-A and negotiated to use all their remaining dining dollars to buy a bunch of chicken sandwiches. They resourcefully cut the sandwiches into quarters and gave them out to all the kids. It was not only incredibly thoughtful but also creative and generous.”

Going into UNF, Lundy wasn’t sure what he wanted to specialize in and switched between a few majors. After playing soccer for 13 years on both club and high school, as well as participating in cross country and track in high school, Lundy began working out more upon arriving at UNF to improve his fitness and become a well-rounded athlete. Ultimately, his participation in fitness and sports led him to value the effect of exercise on health, mixed with his desire to help others, and he found his perfect fit in the physical therapy program.

Since May 2022, Lundy has earned 300 hours of internship experience at Top Tier Sports Medicine, a medical facility that runs a spectrum of sports medicine services with extensive experience at the professional athlete level. “My internship with Top Tier Sports Medicine gave me practical experience and hands-on practice,” Lundy said. “It helped give me an idea of what I want to do in my career.”

Lundy also served as an officer for the Eta Sigma Gamma Public Health National Honor, a peer educator for the UNF Health and Wellness Center, a resident assistant and held a job at a local bookstore.

“Most of the time it wasn’t too hard to manage work with school,” said Lundy. “It would pick up at different times, but it gave me a lot of experience.”

In the fall, Lundy will be on the path to achieving a doctorate degree in physical therapy at UNF.

“I hope to make more friends and learn more applicable things to help others in my career,” Lundy said.