Born and raised in Minnesota, Jamaica DelMar Ed.D. defines herself first as a mom, wife, daughter, and friend. She has worked in higher education for 12 years, and previous positions at other institutions include Registrar, Assistant Registrar, Adjunct Faculty, and Academic Advisor at various institutions within the MN State Colleges and Universities System. She is a longtime volunteer at organizations serving homeless families. Jamaica’s work as an empowerment facilitator with the Jeremiah Program led her to her interests in mentoring students regarding their college goals and taking an activist and innovative approach to service, teaching, and research in a way that drives her commitment to and passion for leading Project SOAR. Her research interests include examining college access through an intersectional lens, particularly for populations such as first-generation college students, those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, students of color, students with mental health issues, or students caring for children. Her dissertation was entitled, “A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Perceptions of Single Mother College Students.”