Stanley enjoys the respite of the Botanical Gardens, like his experience at Keewaydin. Courtesy of Stanley Stilwell
By Erin Shanahan
Those who meet Stanley J. Stilwell III today meet a charming, clean cut and well-dressed twenty-one-year-old Gabelli student who enjoys his many responsibilities, including his job as an RA and Senate position on USG, as well as his upcoming job at Deloitte Consulting next year. This astute and successful character has been “in the works” for several years.
As long as Stanley could remember, he has been planning for the future. An introspective and contemplative person, Stanley created a life timeline, outlining all his major life activities that he desired to work toward.
“I love to look forward to the next adventure and the potential in each opportunity excites me because it is just another door opening and I never know what I am going to find on the other side,” he said.
Stanley’s desire to plan ahead developed at a young age, specifically while attending Keewaydin, an all-boys summer camp. It offers a two month sleepaway camp experience for boys in Salisbury, Vermont.
“My time with Keewaydin has given me respect for the simplicities in life; having the ability to go for an extended hike, enjoy nature, get away from technology and true values in friendship,” he said. Through Keewaydin, Stanley had several amazing experiences such as an 18-day camping trip where he traveled 250 miles via canoe running river-to-river and hopping from lake to lake through the La Verendyre wildlife preserve in Canada.
Stanley attended Keewaydin in order to take a break from life in New York City during the summer months. Growing up in Manhattan, he attended Wagner Middle School and Fiorello H. LaGuardia Arts High School for the Performing Arts. At LaGuardia, Stanley became versed in many different forms of performing arts; however, he specialized in the tuba and performed at some impressive locations such as Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center and Avery Fischer Hall.
After LaGuardia, Stanley’s next move in his life plan was to attend an amazing college and become a business major. “I chose Fordham because of its proximity to the capital of the world, New York City, and the clear ‘a-ha’ moment that most students get once they walk onto our Rose Hill campus,” he said. At the Gabelli School of Business, Stanley majors in finance, minors in economics and specializes in alternative investments.
Stanley commuted his first semester of freshman year, while rowing for the mens’ crew team. In order to commute to Fordham in time for morning practice, Stanley woke up every day at 4:45 a.m. to be ready for 6 a.m. practice. “One of my most enjoyable experiences to this day has been my time bonding with the team over the fact that we were up before the sun, and there is nothing comparable to the moment when the sun first rises as you are driving down Fordham Road and getting on the water for a mornings’ row,” he said.
During his sophomore year, Stanley became an RA in Queens Court, then Alumni Court South his junior year and finally, as a senior, he is an RA in Loyola Hall. He also has been a part of the Fordham Band and Orchestra, Budget Committee, Operations Committee, Fordham Career Ambassador, Alternative Investments Club and Finance Society.
Stanley also enjoys taking classes when he has free time to try something new and interesting. He has taken classes for Krav Maga, a form of self-defense developed for the Israeli military and recently taught to CIA agents and Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dancing, acrobatics and music. In addition he has taken gymnastics due to his desire to replicate moves from Bring It On as well as hip-hop and ballet classes.
Stanley also hopes — in about five years, according to his life timeline — to work for the Peace Corps in Africa as a business advisory volunteer.
