It’s Black Excellence! At age 14, bagging a degree, let alone two is sort of unheard off but not for this young genius.
Yes you read right! Rather than tag along with her mates who were celebrating graduating from the eight grade in 2020, ‘DJ’ which stands for “Dorothy Jean” but nicknamed by Mom, Jemielita, Dorothy Genius bagged her Master’s degree in Environmental and Sustainable Science from Unity College in Unity, Maine at the young age of 14.
“I feel like I’m going on a great path,” she said. “I don’t know exactly what I will do. I know in the end, I want to be an entrepreneur.”
A high flyer; while in high school, she earned her Associate degree in Psychology at College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois at age 11. Then at 12-years old she earned her Bachelor’s degree in humanities from Excelsior College in Albany, New York. Two years later in 2020, she topped it up with a Master’s degree.
DJ from the south side of Chicago is definitely making her mom proud. Recalling how she was told her baby is special, mom Jemielita said:
“My child care provider Miss Mary first noticed. She said ‘you got a special baby that you need to understand’.”
“There are some great things coming out of the south side of Chicago and this, my baby, is one of the greatest of them all,” Jemelita Tillman said.
Dorothy plans to study engineering and become an entrepreneur related to the field and in order to help inspire other kids to learn more, she has already authored a book called Unlock the Jeanius.
“I love helping kids have bright futures. I feel like I’m here to make people happy and to help people find their purpose,” she said during an interview with Rolling Out.
Melik Peter Khoury, president of Unity College, said, “Our mission here at Unity College is to educate and prepare the environmental leaders of tomorrow, and DJ is certainly a leader.
“Earning her master’s degree at 14 is a remarkable accomplishment, and we’re all very proud of her,” Khoury said. “In talking with DJ, it’s clear that she is a prodigy who is wise beyond her years, and it’s reassuring to know that our future is in good hands.”
