UNDERGRADUATE SPOTLIGHT LEADERSHIP
“ I TRY TO OPEN DOORS SO OTHERS CAN SEE WHAT’S POSSIBLE. AND IF I CAN’T OPEN THAT DOOR MYSELF, I’LL GIVE WHATEVER ADVICE OR GUIDANCE I CAN SO THEY KNOW WHAT’S OUT THERE AND HOW FAR THEY CAN GO.” - Victor L. Mattison, Jr., Junior Grand Vice Polemarch
just about how well you perform, it’s about how well you connect.” He is a graduate of the Lambda Class of ULI and a Kappa Fellow through the LEAD Kappa Program. In 2023, he was selected as one of just sixty undergraduates nationwide to join the prestigious LEAD Kappa Class, earning the opportunity to attend the National Conclave in Tampa, Florida, where he represented the fraternity on WFLA News Channel 8. He attended the 2024 National Founders’ Day Conference in New Orleans and the Leadership Conference in the Dominican Republic—experi- ences that broadened his worldview and deepened his connection to the fraterni- ty’s mission. “Networking teaches you to value people, not just positions,” JGVP Mattison said. “Strong leadership is built on strong relationships.” Surprisingly, one of Brother Mat- tison’s greatest teachers wasn’t a professor or fraternity elder; it was the art of dance. With 18 years as a per- former, choreographer, and instructor, he grew up teaching hip-hop, step, and modern dance at his family’s business, T-Motion Dance Studio. “Dance has been my life,” he said. “It taught me responsibility early and showed me how to meet people where they are.” Those experiences shaped his communication and empathy. “When teaching, I had to help people find their confidence,” he explained. “That takes patience, clarity, and compassion, skills that carry over into leadership.” If there’s one principle that defines the JGVP’s leadership, it’s mentorship. His philosophy is simple yet powerful: reach back as you climb. “I try to open
doors so others can see what’s possible,” he said. “And if I can’t open that door myself, I’ll give whatever advice or guidance I can so they know what’s out there and how far they can go.” His approach to leadership is rooted in servant-hearted action, uplifting others as he advances. That belief extends beyond the fraternity into his daily life at Clemson. Beyond Kappa, he is deeply invested in academic excellence and service. He serves as a Senior Peer Mentor for Clemson’s CONNECTIONS Program, helping underrepresented students navigate college life and achieve suc- cess. He is also a proud member of the Blue Key Honor Society, recognizing his leadership, scholarship, and service. Outside of campus, he continues his commitment to community through the Rotary Club of Greenville, where he earned the Rotary Service Above Self Scholarship. As part of his schol- arship, he performs over 100 hours of service annually, embodying the ideal that achievement and service
are inseparable. “Achievement should uplift the community, not just the individual,” he said. “It’s about setting an example and ensuring that what you do benefits others.” Even with a calendar filled with academics, leadership, and service, he remains grounded. “The biggest system that helps me maintain balance is simple,” he said with a laugh. “I put everything on my calendar.” He uses structure not as a constraint, but as a means of clarity. “When you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, something will slip unless you plan,” he explained. “But I always make time to reset.” As a Physics major with aspirations to become an aerospace systems engineer, Victor often finds himself connecting his academic training to his leadership jour- ney. “Engineering and leadership have more in common than people think,” he said. “Both require systems thinking. In aerospace, every component must work together for the mission to succeed. Kappa is no different: every brother, committee, and vision must align for the
38 THE JOURNAL ♦ FALL 2025
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