Matthews' Soccket invention was highlighted in institutional coverage describing her as a young inventor who created the energy-generating ball while in college.
On May 17, 2011, an institutional profile was published documenting Jessica O. Matthews' invention of the Soccket while she was still an undergraduate. This piece of coverage is part of a broader pattern of media attention that began shortly after the Soccket's public unveiling and the founding of Uncharted Play.
The profile emphasized the origin story of the Soccket: Matthews conceived of the idea after learning about the challenges of unreliable electricity access, particularly in parts of Nigeria where relatives lived, and channeled that awareness into a Harvard engineering class assignment. The resulting product, a soccer ball that generates and stores electricity through kinetic energy during play, was framed as an elegant solution bridging recreation and infrastructure need.
This kind of institutional profile mattered because it helped validate Matthews' work to a wider audience of educators, investors, and potential partners, reinforcing the narrative of a young inventor solving real-world problems with ingenuity and engineering skill. It also served an important role in inspiring other young people, especially women and students of color, to consider careers in invention and entrepreneurship. The publication date marks another documented touchpoint in the ongoing chronicling of her early career.