By age 14, Dorothy Jean Tillman had already obtained an associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree. Despite these impressive achievements, Tillman turned to her mother and said, “I think I want to pursue a doctorate degree.”
Her mother, Jimalita Tillman, was surprised. It was the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Dorothy was busy launching a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) camp startup and seeking funding for the organization.
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“I asked why,” Jimalita told CNN. Dorothy explained her mission was to positively impact young people’s mental health. Understanding this, Jimalita lent her support.
Fast forward two years, 17-year-old Dorothy successfully delivered her dissertation. Now, at 18, she is officially Dr. Dorothy Jean Tillman, having walked at Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions convocation on May 8.
In an interview with CNN, Jimalita expressed her pride, saying, “I knew what it took for her to go through that. She had to sacrifice a lot, especially during the pandemic. She emerged as a leader without fear, showing others how to navigate online schooling.”
From a young age, Dorothy excelled academically. By age 7, she was already doing high school work and taking college-level module tests to apply credits toward higher education.
“It was always hard to mentally cope with being so young in college. Now I can be comfortable being a teenager and not worry about what comes next,” Dorothy said.
At Arizona State University, she studied integrated behavioral health. Her dissertation explored the stigma that prevents university students from seeking mental health treatment.
In addition to her studies, Dorothy runs the Dorothy Jeanius STEAM Leadership Institute, which inspires underserved young people in Chicago and abroad in countries like Ghana and South Africa to pursue STEAM careers. The program features guest speakers and discussions on each of the five areas of STEAM.
“We aim to provide them with all the resources and the best foundation to start pursuing their dreams,” she said.
Despite her achievements, Tillman remains a normal teen who spends time with family and friends. She credits her mother as one of her greatest motivators.
“I definitely couldn’t have gotten this far without her. She’s the best teammate and supporter,” she said.
Another inspiration for Tillman is her grandmother, former Chicago alderwoman Dorothy Tillman, who worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.
After graduating from ASU, Tillman plans to continue developing her camps and apply her studies in integrated behavioral health to her work. She hopes to franchise the camps to benefit more children and work more with kids in Africa.
“I’ve been focusing on my studies and haven’t gone as often as I should,” Tillman said. “Now I’m glad to have the time for things like that.”
While she has achieved a lot at her age, Tillman attributes her success to having a supportive family.
“It’s teamwork that makes the dream work,” she said. “It takes a village to build the land. Having those people there with you is what upholds you at the end of the day.”
