Thomasita

Navajo
Diné College

Diné College student Thomasita Kinsel was named the fall 2008 United Health Foundation scholar. In order to tackle the many health issues facing American Indians in Arizona, the American Indian College Fund and the United Health Foundation have created a scholarship program that focuses on assisting top-notch American Indian college students in Arizona. The students attend Diné College, Tohono O'odham Community College or mainstream institutions in the state of Arizona. These scholars, whose academic focus centers on health-related fields, will use their talents, skills and knowledge developed in college towards ameliorating health challenges in Indian Country.

Kinsel's paternal grandmother took her and her older brother to raise when she was only three years old. She says she only spoke Navajo until she was in third grade, and attended Lukachukai boarding school until high school. She graduated from Many Farms boarding school in 1995.

Kinsel says her family didn't encourage education beyond high school because of her impoverished upbringing and because she spoke English as a second language. After her cousin was severely injured in an accident, she spent months at the hospital with him and during his recovery. During that time he encouraged her to continue her education and instilled in her the belief that she could accomplish anything she wanted.

In the spring of 2007, Kinsel enrolled at Diné College, at first taking two classes to “get the feel of college.” At the end of the semester she earned an A and a B in her coursework. The following semester she enrolled in four classes and passed all of them. “I was so blown away by my grades, I actually cried!” she says.

Kinsel won several awards in writing and reading classes and was on the Dean's Honor roll in spring 2008. She also won an award in digital imaging with a camera she bought on layaway at a pawn shop. She volunteers her time taking photos of her high school football team, and designed a calendar for them.

She is proud of her academic achievements at Diné College because she says no one thought she had a chance at a higher education. She is also proud to be fluent in both her native Navajo language and English, while some of her peers are struggling to learn their Native languages.