GRASSHOPR (Graduate Student School Outreach Program) at Cornell University
This organization is a registered student organization of Cornell University.
This organization is a registered student organization of Cornell University.
The Graduate Student School Outreach Program (GRASSHOPR) pairs Cornell graduate students with teachers in Tompkins, Ontario, and surrounding counties to teach 3- to 5-session mini-courses on topics related to the graduate student's field or interests. Teachers and graduate students benefit from exchanging ideas as they develop a curriculum, while K-12 students experience new mentors eager to share knowledge and enthusiasm about their field of study.
The 2025-2026 fellow application ARE OPEN!
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Need help designing your course? Check out our course design Cheat-sheet!
Want to see last year's course descriptions as examples? Check them out here!
Want to learn more? See our recorded info session below!
"GRASSHOPR offered the unique opportunity for me to share my scientific interests with students just beginning to understand the natural world. It was very rewarding to see the enthusiasm the students shared for the material I was presenting, asking truly fundamental questions." - Fellow
“Previous to this, I was pretty confident that I wanted to teach at the University level. Now I think I would be just as happy teaching at the high school or middle school level." - Fellow
"I left the first GRASSHOPR course thinking ‘I want to teach 4th graders.’ The GRASSHOPR experience reinforced my goals to pursue multi-age education and outreach as at least a component of my future career.” - Fellow
"The best part of my experience was when students came up after class to ask how I got to where I was. The nature of my course exposed students to careers in several different education levels and interests within the food/agriculture sector (academic, regulatory, agriculture, nutrition, food industry, transportation, health department, retail), so I think it gave some insight into or options for alternative careers paths (which was one of the course goals)." - Fellow
“Students were able to see this really cool young person who was a working scientist. This really broke down some mental barriers. It was great for them to hear about her work in the field.” - Teacher
“The students offer a perspective which I cannot provide. I loved how it was all females in STEM to serve as role models for the students due to the gender gap in the STEM field.” - Teacher
“The GRASSHOPR program helped our Science curriculum come alive! We may have been working through screens, but every single student was connected, engaged, and taking part in thrilling hands-on learning.” - Teacher
“The GRASSHOPR program was engaging and different. It was a great experience, and the kids were sad when it was over. It felt so good to have a parent message me with the following: "This project is all my kid has been talking about over dinner this week!" - Teacher
“The graduate students brought insight and fresh learning into the classroom environment. They were a great role model for my female students about women in science.” - Teacher
Interested in joining the board? We are always recruiting for new members of the organizing committee! Please feel free to let us know!
PhD Candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
PhD Candidate, Communication
PhD Candidate, Fiber Science
Assistant Director for K-12 Programs
David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement