Katherine Waters ’26 (center) is an Orange Distinction Award winner, dual majoring in psychology and social work. “Thanks to donor support, I’m following my dreams,” says the aspiring clinical psychologist.
Katherine Waters ’26 has a passion for helping others. As a teenager, she started an Active Minds chapter at her high school in suburban Boston. The program taught Waters and others the importance of mental health education through peer-to-peer dialogue and interaction. It also inspired her to consider a career in clinical psychology.
Today, the Syracuse University junior thrives at the nexus of the liberal arts and professional studies. She’s a dual major in psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences as well as social work in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.
“I’m getting a holistic understanding of health and wellness,” says Waters, a successful student who belongs to several honor societies. “Thanks to donor support, I’m following my dreams while seeing others obtain the resources to pursue theirs.”
An Attitude of Gratitude
“You can never thank a donor too much,” says Waters, who raises support for the Annual Fund through her involvement with the Syracuse Connects engagement center.
The eldest of three, Waters recognizes the financial cost of higher learning. She explains that despite changing job requirements in some industries, a college degree is still one of today’s best investments.
“The benefits outweigh everything else,” says Waters, who hopes to go into private practice, conduct research and shape policy. “An investment in Syracuse is an investment in our future.”
A recipient of the Orange Distinction Award, she’s in a unique position to use her education to increase donor impact. Ergo Waters’ involvement with Syracuse Connects, a bustling engagement center in the Office of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving.
A student caller-turned-manager, Waters has been on thousands of calls with alumni, parents and friends of the University. Her job is to raise awareness of and support for the Annual Fund.
“By asking donors to help students like me, I see my education in a new light,” Waters admits. “I don’t take anything for granted.”
Unpacking Success
It was during the pandemic that Waters realized how a nonprofit can build community and address social problems.
“Few of my high school classmates originally wanted to talk [about how they felt] because of the associative stigma and shame,” she recalls. “But after Active Minds got up and running, they came out of the woodwork. It was a great precursor to my time at Syracuse.”
None of this would be possible without Syracuse’s global network of alumni. Their support enables students like me to unpack success.
Katherine Waters ’26
Which includes plenty of faculty-led research. Waters is currently helping psychology professor Daniel Corral with a series of cognition experiments. She also has assisted social work professor Xiafei Wang examine the effects of race and ethnicity on childhood trauma.
“I put my education to work in different ways,” says Waters, who also interns at the Rescue Mission Alliance, providing services to people in need throughout Central New York. “None of this would be possible without Syracuse’s global network of alumni. Their support enables students like me to unpack success.”
The Ripple Effect of Giving
Whether empowering others or chatting up donors, Waters has a knack for putting people at ease, making them feel heard. “I recently talked to an alumna for 45 minutes about her time at Syracuse,” she says. “When we hung up, I felt like I had made a friend. Got some good advice, too.”
Her work is guided by the idea that people give to people, not to buildings or websites. She rarely forgets a name or a face. Or a voice.
“You can never thank a donor too much,” Waters says. “When you give of your time, talent or treasure, you motivate others to be generous, as well. It’s the ripple effect of giving.”
