Scholar Performance
Tessa was featured with her chamber group on the national radio program 'From the Top'.
Scholars Around the World
Two JKCF Scholars organize a 15-day study tour to Bolivia to explore the country’s political economy, peoples and rural development
Tiffany D. Mathis
“The media shapes society. It determines thought and motivates actions. What the media says is what the public knows, thus accuracy and honesty should always be the foundation. Unfortunately, that’s not often the case. I want to change that.”
- Program: 2008 Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Recipient
- Resides: Gainsville, FL
- Hometown: Okeechobee, Florida
- Age: 20
- Community College: Indian River Community College
- Four-year College or University: University of Florida
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Classics, Politics and Diplomacy, Writing / Journalism, Journalism, Mass Communication
- Other Interests: Government, Honor Society, Leadership Development, Politics and Diplomacy, Student Government, Volunteer Work, Writing / Journalism
Biography
PROFILE: Since her teenage years, Tiffany’s dream has been to follow the path of political advisor George Stephanopoulos. To do so, she worked hard to overcome her innate shyness. Until 10th grade, she was so painfully shy she refused to make a phone call to order a pizza. She now plans to study journalism and political science in hopes of improving the state of journalism in the US.
Raised by her mother and grandmother, Tiffany grew up on a ranch in a small town where cows outnumbered people and the local economy was driven by livestock sales at the slaughter house. Watching a bull being killed on her ranch was a traumatic experience. The summer of her sophomore year, after watching a PETA presentation, she decided to become a vegetarian, though this choice made her an outcast in her own family.
INSPIRATION: Inspired after reading George Stephanopoulos’s memoir, All Too Human: A Political Education at the age of 16, Tiffany overcome her shyness and joined the debate club. This was the first step in her journey towards becoming a political commentator. Another inspirational figure is John Entry, a father figure who became a quadriplegic in 2004. He has taught her about life and encouraged her personal growth.
ASPIRATION: Tiffany aspires to become a broadcast political analyst.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Tiffany is a member of the Mustard Seed Ministries Thanksgiving and serves holiday dinners to impoverished members of the community. She also collects and boxes used books for the BetterWorld Books organization and has organized activities for H20 camp members.
ACCOLADES: Tiffany is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She is also on the President’s List and Dean’s List at Indian River Community College.
INTERESTING FACT: As a high achieving alumnus of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, Tiffany represented the US in Australia at the Global Youth Leadership Conference.
Other Scholars Like Tiffany
Hannah Kang
College Scholar
Brown University
Nikhit D'Sa
Graduate Scholar
Columbia University
Kelvin
Young Scholar
St.John's College High School
Esmeralda Duran
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
Southern Methodist University