Srishti Mathur earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a Master of Science in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas where she was initiated in November 2019. She was the recipient of an Academic Excellence Scholarship Award with Distinction which allowed her to attend UT Dallas with all expenses paid, and she was selected for the Fast Track ACN program, an accelerated program that allowed her to enroll in a master's program while completing her undergraduate degree.

During her time at UT Dallas, Srishti participated in Alternative Spring Break disaster relief service projects, and, in 2019, she traveled to Puerto Rico where she led a team of 10 students to help the community with Hurricane Maria disaster relief. She also volunteered as a Young Adults Ambassador for the Frisco Association for the Arts and is currently serving as the Chair of Marketing and Communications for the Frisco Young Professionals group.

Srishti’s family moved to the United States from New Delhi, India, more than twenty years ago, and she was raised in California and Washington until moving to Texas in 2015 to attend UT Dallas. She is employed as a User Experience Researcher at J.C. Penney Co. in Plano, Texas, where she studies user behavior.

Let’s get to know Srishti!

1. Why did you accept the invitation to join Phi Kappa Phi?
   I accepted the invitation after reading about all of the benefits of membership—networking with scholars from all walks of life, the potential to pursue Society awards, and even some great discounts on useful products and services! Moreover, the UT Dallas chapter is committed to supporting diversity and creativity, values that resonate with me and motivated me to join.


2. What is your favorite family holiday tradition?
   My family's most important holiday of the year is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights and celebration of good triumphing over evil. We always create rangoli, a traditional art form where we arrange flower petals into geometric patterns. I love it because the result always exemplifies the power that comes from working together to achieve a common goal, and every year our patterns become more complex!


3. Who is the most intelligent person you know?
   My sixth-grade teacher, Ms. Walloch, is the most intelligent person I know because she sees the potential in all of her students and always figures out unique strategies to help each of us succeed. It takes an incredible amount of intelligence to understand the nuances behind every student's story; she fostered an environment of empathy in her classroom, and she even created a families program so that everyone in our school would have a support system made up of students and teachers!


4. What is your favorite sport and team?
   My favorite sport is rock climbing because it forces me to focus on one goal of reaching the top, and the thrill of making it up there is the best part. My favorite sports team, however, is the Seattle Seahawks not only because I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but because they make interesting plays during their games that leave everyone in my family at the edge of our seats!


5. What emoji best captures your essence?
   The paint emoji, 🎨, best captures my essence because I use art as a form of expression—I've been doodling since I was two years old! I love to draw, paint and experiment with different artistic media in my free time.


6. What is your definition of success?
   Success means more to me than just achieving a goal. It means taking the time to reflect on how I got there, learning from any mistakes along the way, and ensuring that I am in a sound position to move on to my next goal. Success also means finding the confidence to uplift others.


7. Which fictional character do you relate to most?
   I relate most to Leslie Knope from "Parks and Recreation" because, like her, I strive for my enthusiasm, passion and moral compass to drive me forward.


8. What’s your favorite family tradition?
   My family loves the great outdoors, so we try to visit at least one national park each year. I love this tradition because we get to spend time as a family out in nature without any other distractions, and we are continually reminded of the awe-inspiring beauty of our planet. Some of my fondest childhood memories are from exploring the natural wonders of the beaches, mountains and waterfalls in California and Washington.


9. What energizes you and brings you excitement?
   Talking to my sisters, both of whom are considerably younger than me, energizes me and brings me excitement because both of them are constantly learning new things, surprising me with their new interests and finding new ways to make me laugh. There is never a dull moment with them!


10. What's the best thing you've learned in your current position?
    The best thing I've learned is that as long as you take initiative and show your interest in developing a skill, there are always people willing to help you learn!

To learn more about Srishti and connect, visit her profile within Link, our online member community, here.

Is there someone you would like to see in the spotlight? If so, email Jamie Chapman, membership director, at jchapman@phikappaphi.org. Be sure to include basic information for the nomination.