.134 Katie Kenney

Katie is an absolute sweetheart, plain and simple. When we met, I remember thinking two things: I want to be her friend, and I wish we knew each other in high school. The latter because, well, I could have used more bright positivity then, and she has it. Katie has a unique sense of clarity and maturity, both of which are intertwined with her bubbly and generous personality. I was fortunate enough to see her around campus pretty constantly in a variety of settings, but I really got to see her shine when we spent a week in New Orleans together for a service project.

During that week, I was so grateful that Katie was on the trip. She was a total goofball when we needed it, always focused on the significance of what we were doing, and a true trooper when it came to the bajillion-hour bus ride. Katie is just remarkably sweet and compassionate, always listening carefully and purposefully, and always treating those in her life with an immense amount of kindness and respect. Just speaking to her on the phone the other day was enough to brighten my day. It had been many years since we spoke, but in some ways it felt as if it had been 5 minutes.

Katie, thank you for being a ray of light in a mostly-chaotic world, especially this year! Thank you for always being so much fun to talk to — you have the wonderful ability and intelligence to chat about any topic. Thank you for being someone who appreciates the little things, and thank you for embodying the journey to happiness everyday. Thank you, Katie, for being you.

-BD