Name: Cecily Matthews
Age: 21
Year: Junior
Hometown: Clermont, FL
Major: Interdisciplinary Social Science
Courtesy: Cecily Matthews
Her Campus (HC): What made you decide to come to FSU?
Cecily Matthews (CM): I wanted to get far away from home, but not too far away that if something happened I wouldn’t be able to get back. Also, within my family my siblings and I are the first to attend predominantly white institutions (PWIs) instead of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Since Florida State is located right beside FAMU, which is an HBCU, I felt like I would be able to just go across the tracks and get the best of both worlds.
HC: What organizations are you involved in here at Florida State?
CM: I am the secretary for the Black Student Union, a general intern for PeaceJam Southeast, and I’m a member of the Rho Kappa chapter of Zeta Phi Beta.
HC: Can you describe what PeaceJam is?
CM: PeaceJam is an international organization that partners with Nobel Peace Prize laureates and youth. Members have the opportunity to either coach or mentor. So, either you go to a local school once a week and work with elementary, middle or high school kids or in the spring and fall we have a PeaceJam Slam and Conference. There you’ll come in for a day along with Leon county schools or schools of the whole southeast region and you will meet a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and then interact with the students in that setting.
Courtesy: Cecily Matthews
HC: When did you first get involved in PeaceJam and BSU?
CM: I got involved with PeaceJam as soon as I got to Florida State. The last week before summer I participated in a leadership seminar and a lot of the facilitators there were involved with PeaceJam and they brought me into the program. I started off with BSU right away as well. I participated in the Seminole Minority Leadership Institute, which is an eight-week leadership development program. Then, during my sophomore year I applied for the position of political education chair.
HC: What are some of the things that members get out of PeaceJam and BSU?
CM: PeaceJam provides its members with a unified front of advocacy. It does not matter what specific cause we are fighting for, the members of PeaceJam will always be surrounded by people who share their strong beliefs of seeing change and progression within the Tallahassee, national and international community. Members also get the chance to provide positive change within people who are younger than them. Members are able to inspire children and show them how much potential they encompass, which is extremely rewarding. The Black Student Union provides a vehicle of communication for students. So, if you ever need your voice to be amplified and need people to fight for you, the Black Student Union is there. It also provides a sense of home within Florida State’s large campus. We literally have a house where members can go any time they desire. It provides a safe haven where students can escape from everyday stresses and be surrounded by family.
HC: Who are some of the speakers that have visited PeaceJam who have stood out to you?
CM: During the Spring semester we have a Nobel Peace Prize laureate come in. We have had Óscar Arious, Leymah Gbowee and Rigoberta Menchú Tum, who is actually coming back this year.
Courtesy: Cecily Matthews
HC: What is your most memorable moment while being a part of PeaceJam?
CM: This past summer I coached at Oak Ridge Elementary. My partner Vi and I taught the students about Desmond Tutu and when we were discussing how people would be grouped based on their race one of my students started to cry. So, we had to stop the lesson and pull her aside to comfort her. She said that she didn’t understand how people could treat other human beings in such a way. In that moment, she told us that she was going to be a lawyer and change the world one day. So, that was a very moving moment that encompasses why I am passionate about PeaceJam and all that it does for today’s youth.
HC: Do you have any specific career goals that you are working towards?
CM: I don’t have a specific job pinpointed, but I know that I want to work within the Education or the Housing system, specifically within at risk and minority-based communities. I want to help residents fully understand the policies and help them interact better when it comes to funding and insurance and make sure that they have everything that they need.
HC: Do you have a dream location that you would like to live and work in?
CM: Definitely Seattle, Washington. The University of Washington has a great graduate student program, which is something that I want to look into.
Courtesy: Cecily Matthews
HC: You have just been inducted into Seminole Torchbearers. What does that honor mean to you?
CM: For me, it shows that all the hard work and dedication that I put into the communities that I serve have been recognized. It’s amazing, because now I have a larger platform with a greater number of connections that I can utilize if I ever need to in order to give back to those communities that I serve.
HC: Is there anyone in your life that you look up to as a role model?
CM: I don’t want to be cliché but I don’t know where I would be without my friends. Specifically Vi, Rehema and Jakeyah. They give me all the guidance I need both personally and professionally.