Jamora Arroyo-Jefferson

About Jamora Arroyo-Jefferson

As a sophomore at Cornell University\'s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Science, I aspire to have a career in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). My goal is to be a NASA Space Farmer and help advance space exploration.I am also a neurodivergent student with dyslexia (challenges with reading or interpreting words, letters, and other symbols) and dyscalculia (challenges with mathematical expressions), who has never allowed these conditions to impede my academic success. I regularly speak to various groups of educators and program trainers, helping them better understand the challenges faced by neurodivergent thinkers, while also encouraging the implementation of inclusive teaching strategies that address the needs of all types of learners.Additionally, I am a proud member of the LGBTQ+ student community, and I advocate for accepting people of all sexualities, gender identities, and gender expressions, because \"love is love.\" Through my participation in numerous STEM-related local and national organizations, beginning in high school and continuing into college, I actively promote STEM youth engagement, particularly among underrepresented groups, and encourage youth to pursue careers in STEM. I also enjoy serving as a STEM ambassador at various activities and events across the country. My background as a youth STEM advocate led to an invitation in October 2024 to join a team of STEM professionals as a designated Co-Principal Investigator on a grant proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for funding consideration. The project, titled \"Beyond Individual Impacts: Identifying Characteristics of Youth STEM Programs that Yield Community-Level Impacts\", outlined a three-year examination of youth programs operating at the intersection of out-of-school-time or afterschool STEM learning, teen leadership, and community engagement. Initiated by the Afterschool Alliance in partnership with the National Girls Collaborative Project, University of Washington, and Public Profit, the grant proposal was submitted to the NSF in December 2024 and was officially awarded funding in September 2025. Read the full NSF Award & HistoricalAwards=falseLearn more about my background, accomplishments, and

Experience

1. U s National Science Foundation Grant Co-principal Investigator

   Afterschool Alliance

   Sep 2025 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   In October 2024, the Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP), University of Washington, and Public Profit, submitted a grant proposal titled “Beyond Individual Impacts: Identifying Characteristics of Youth STEM Programs that Yield Community-Level Impacts” for consideration to the National Science Foundation (NSF). The three-year project was officially awarded funding by the NSF in September 2025.As one of the three Co-Principal Investigators - Katie Taylor (University of Washington) and Amanda Sullivan (NGCP)- led by Principal Investigator Anita Krishnamurthi (Afterschool Alliance), I will assist the efforts of our team in conducting a study of programs operating at the intersection of out-of-school-time or afterschool STEM learning, teen leadership, and community engagement. The team will examine the outcomes for young people involved in STEM learning, how the community issues they engaged with were addressed, and if/how their physical community was impacted as a result of youth STEM participation. The goals of the project are to:1. Document the broader systemic impact(s) of youth STEM involvement,2. Design a documentation framework that programs can use to capture these broader impacts, and3. Identify the commonalities and support structures programs need to achieve these impacts. Our activities will include conducting interviews with program directors, adult facilitators, and participating youth; observing programs; collecting artifacts of their work; and gathering evidence of community impact.This project will provide critical insights into whether real-world youth STEM issues can be solved more effectively, and if/how communities benefit when young people are involved in leading change, as well as highlight resources and strategies that positively impact teen engagement in STEM and society.Read the NSF Award

Education

• Bard College

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Biology, General

• Cornell University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture

• Ransom Everglades School

  High School Diploma, Environmental Studies

• Florida Atlantic University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Introductory Statistics [Online Course]