Dorothy Jean Tillman, a 17-year-old from Chicago, has become one of the youngest people ever to earn a doctoral degree.
Tillman graduated with a Doctorate in Integrated Behavioral Health from Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions in May 2023.
Tillman’s journey began showcasing exceptional intellect at a young age. This allowed her to enrol at the College of Lake County at just 10 years old, majoring in Psychology. This propelled her towards rapid academic success, culminating in her recent doctoral achievement.
Her dissertation focused on the stigma preventing university students from accessing adequate mental health treatment.
Speaking about Dorothy’s academic pursuits, her mother, Jimalita, said, “I knew what it took for her to go through that. She had to sacrifice a lot. A lot of her fears and going through different things during the pandemic. She emerged as a leader without fear, showing them how to navigate online schooling.”
Reflecting on her numerous academic achievements. Dorothy explained, “It was always a very hard thing to kind of stomach mentally being so young. When you get out of college, you’re thinking, ‘What do I do next?’ Now I can sit in the comfort of being a teenager and be okay with the fact that I don’t have to figure out what comes next.”
These impressive achievements came with sacrifices. The Chicago prodigy added, “I didn’t have the everyday school experiences like homecoming dances or spirit weeks or just school pictures and things like that … that kind of create unity with my peers.”
News of Tillman’s accomplishment spread quickly, with many commending her dedication and perseverance.
In an interview, Tillman credited her supportive family, particularly her grandmother and mother, for encouraging her educational pursuits. She said, “Everything that we were doing didn’t seem abnormal to me or out of the ordinary until it started getting all of the attention.”
Speaking of her mother’s support, Dorothy said, “I definitely couldn’t have gotten this far without her, she’s the best teammate, the best supporter.”
Additionally, Dorothy Tillman II, known as Dorothy Jeanius by her close family and friends, is the granddaughter of former Chicago alderwoman Dorothy Tillman, who played a role in the civil rights movement from 1954 to 1968, alongside Martin Luther King Junior.
Finally, Dorothy Jean Tillman now leads the “Dorothy Jeanius STEAM Leadership Institute.” It offers summer camps designed to inspire young people to pursue careers in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
