Meet Our FoundHer,
Sydney Mathis
Eternal Generations Emerging (EGE) was founded in 2021 by Sydney Mathis an environmental professional and steward working to empower thinkers and aspiring professionals to consider their place in purpose driven success. Under her leadership, we seek to enhance lives through wisdom, knowledge, and experience. We proudly serve our community with personal and professional development and business services and we provide youth, teens and young adults with academic and career coaching in our nonprofit work to uplift and empower strength and unity! The spirit and meaning behind EGE is "Knowing where we come from to discover where we're headed!" This is the drive behind Sydney’s passion, recycling pieces of her own personal journey, to enlighten a path for future professionals and entrepreneurs towards success!
Born and raised in south Sacramento brought up by a deeply southern-rooted family out of Arkansas and Mississippi, I was given a different outlook on life from most of my early childhood experiences, including the introduction to loving nature, the outdoors and valuing connection to others. I was raised between two underserved communities, Elder Creek and Oak Park, both of which exposed me to many threatening experiences early in my childhood but I kept focused on academics and was lead captain of the Sac High varsity softball team. I aimed to surround myself with friends who were disciplined, but through trial and error of course, I learned to practice discernment in friendships and relationships. I went on to college trying to figure out what was next on my journey and discovered an even deeper love for nature and exploration.
As a first-generation college graduate, I faced many challenges financially and academically with much more to figure out on my own. I became independent and resourceful in managing adulthood early to help claim my space as a professional woman in society. More importantly, I learned to pivot, adapt and to be resilient; an example of modern day natural selection, as I work towards success.
However, my vision came to life during my last semester of undergrad at Humboldt State, right before graduation during a forestry field study. I felt an urgent sense of needing to make a powerful stride forward in my passion for nature and to spread knowledge of natural resources to black and other minority communities. My cup was so full that this vision is still embedded in me almost a decade later. I went on to obtain a master’s in natural resources and have been leading a professional career in natural resources for the last 7+ years having worked for both Federal and State agencies nationwide.
After living these experiences, I finally felt comprehensive on what I needed to do and how I would bring my vision to life. Although I originally hoped to encourage minorities in underserved communities to take interest in natural sciences or STEAM subjects, like I did, I later recognized that there was a much greater need. There was more depth to my vision - My very own experience and the process of navigating the journey is what could be poured into other individuals to help them grow and reach their goals. This is where I decided to turn my experiences and knowledge into tools and resources, using the insight and skills that I obtained along the way; something that others could learn from. This idea of “Generational Exchange” is what wrote our organization's narrative that is now the drive and passion of fulfilling my purpose- Sharing Wisdom, Knowledge and Experience by recycling pieces of my own journey, to enlighten a path for future generations of professionals and entrepreneurs
As a black woman working in natural resources, I lead as an environmental professional and steward of education working to empower thinkers and aspiring professionals to consider their place in success. At the beginning of 2021, I put that vision to pen and paper and developed Eternal Generations Emerging (EGE), creating an opportunity to fulfill my purpose and passion of serving others through guidance of navigating academic and professional careers.
Founded in September 2021, EGE proudly serves communities with Personal and Professional Development (PPD) Coaching and Business Services, with a key focus on providing high school and college students with academic and career coaching to empower the next generation of Change Makers! Following the philosophy behind EGE, "Knowing where we come from to discover where we're headed!"