Twenty-four. That’s the age of Raphael Walters, M.Ed., the youngest member of NSU’s 1964 Society. In order to become a member of the society, Walters made a legacy gift that will provide future support for the university. When asked what prompted him to give, he kept his answer short, “If you’re able to make an impact, you should do so.”

Deciding to give to NSU was easy for Walters. From a young age, he was taught to value education above all else. Walters credits his mother for reminding him, repeatedly, that education is the only thing that can never be taken away from a person. For this reason, he has lived his life in pursuit of education, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Valdosta State University, before joining NSU. Today, he is both an employee and a student at the university.

In addition to his legacy gift, Walters gives through weekly payroll deductions. His gifts support the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education, where he has just begun his doctoral degree, and the Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography. To friends and colleagues who are on the fence about donating, Walters said, “I let them know their gift can go wherever they want it to go—there’s no limit. You can give to a college, a department, a program, a research initiative…you name it.”

As NSU’s assistant director of the Annual Fund, one of Walters’ principal job duties is to help promote staff and faculty giving at the university. He is always working on new ideas and helping others understand the impact of their gifts. “Thirty percent is the faculty and staff goal. Of course, I want to exceed that. Last year, we ended at 33 percent, so this year I want to get us to 36 percent.”

The future looks bright for this twenty-four year old, who aspires to be a university president someday. In the meantime, he plans to stay in higher education. “It’s my calling and my passion. I want to work more with students and become more involved with them.”