Kevin ’83 and Lisa ’04 Volk
Giving Back Together: How Kevin ’83 and Lisa ’04 Volk Continue to Shape the SUNY Poly Community
For siblings Kevin Volk ’83 and Lisa Volk ’04, SUNY Poly has been more than the place where they earned their degrees. It is a community that helped shape their careers, connected them with mentors, and continues to play an important role in their lives decades after graduation.
Today, both remain actively engaged with their alma mater, supporting students through scholarships, mentoring, commencement, and alumni leadership. While their careers have taken different directions, they share a common belief that the value of a SUNY Poly education extends well beyond graduation.
For Kevin, SUNY Poly provided the education and practical skills that launched a 32-year career with the New York State Senate, where he helped oversee government accounting and major financial system modernization projects. Lisa has built a distinguished career in healthcare leadership, advancing from licensed practical nurse to registered nurse, licensed nursing home administrator, and now Executive Director of the Foundation for Quality Care, the educational and charitable arm of the New York State Health Facilities Association.
Both credit SUNY Poly’s faculty with preparing them not only for their professions but for leadership.
Kevin remembers professors who encouraged him to think beyond the numbers, helping him understand the connection between accounting, government, and public policy. Lisa recalls faculty who challenged her to grow as both a healthcare professional and a leader, while providing the support she needed to succeed.
“The critical thinking skills you develop stay with you throughout your career,” Lisa said. “You learn how to solve problems, adapt, and continue learning.”
Those lessons continue to influence both siblings today.
Kevin established a nursing scholarship after experiencing firsthand the compassion and dedication of nurses throughout his own healthcare journey. Wanting to support the next generation of caregivers, he chose SUNY Poly because of its strong nursing program and the role the university plays in preparing healthcare professionals. Lisa remains an active alumna through commencement, alumni engagement, and by encouraging students and fellow graduates to stay connected, build relationships, and mentor future professionals.
For both, staying engaged as alumni is about mentoring the next generation, investing in future Wildcats, and strengthening the SUNY Poly community.
“We have to pour back into the place that helped us,” Lisa said. “The students coming through today are the people who will lead our communities and care for us tomorrow.”
Kevin hopes more alumni discover the value of staying connected.
“Giving back is one of the most rewarding things you can do,” he said. “Whether it’s mentoring, volunteering, or supporting scholarships, you’re helping create opportunities for someone else.”
The siblings also see alumni engagement as a way to strengthen professional connections and build community. Through alumni events, they have expanded their own networks while encouraging graduates to remain connected to one another and to the university.
As SUNY Poly continues to prepare graduates for meaningful careers, Kevin and Lisa Volk are living examples of what it means to carry that education forward. Their success reflects the opportunities they found as students, while their continued involvement demonstrates how alumni can help create those same opportunities for future Wildcats.
