ABOUT ME
When it came time to determine her goals, Kerrijo made the deliberate choice to work in a sector
that would provide her with a sense of accomplishment while simultaneously having a
substantial impact on society. She recognized that pursuing a profession in education would help
her reach these aspirations. In retrospect, as the child of an educator, her commitment to
education has been evident for years. Her mother was a 40-year educator who cared deeply about
her students and community. She has always admired her mother’s passion for advocating for the
equality of all people. As a result of her upbringing, her attitude is always that everyone is
human and deserves the best that humanity has to offer, especially in the realm of education,
regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, race, sexuality, ethnicity, or exceptionality.
After receiving her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Tampa, Kerrijo was chosen to
serve as an AmeriCorps member for City Year. She spent that year learning about and analyzing
educational inequities that she was unaware of. Her passion for ensuring that culturally and
linguistically diverse students, such as those she served, receive the best education possible was
sparked. Kerrijo went on to earn a Master's degree in Educational Psychology, with a focus on
the use of cognition in education. She worked as a full-time teacher for the next two years and
recently started her first year in a Ph.D. program at the University of South Florida. She felt
compelled to return to continue to examine the disparities and inequities that persist in education
in greater depth, but this time to bridge the gap between research and practice.
In the educational sector, Kerrijo hopes to contribute to the representation and empowerment of
culturally and linguistically diverse students. She aspires to use her background to address
concerns of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the education system.