Diné College Scholars

"I am Diné (Navajo) and I am from Lukachukai, Arizona. I'm a senior majoring in Biology and I'm also a first-generation college student. My academic goals include graduating with a Bachelor's degree in biology then moving onto graduate school to pursue a graduate degree either in Medical Laboratory Sciences or Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences. The focus of the summer research I am participating in is to sample plants native to the Navajo Nation and identify the types of endophytes found within them."

"I am from Many farms, Arizona and I am currently a Sophomore majoring in Environmental Engineering. I am from the Navajo Nation. I have an interest in an area that involves water treatment. I see this as a very useful area of work, especially one that I can use within Navajo Land to help supply safe drinking water for my fellow Dine. My academic goals entail graduating with my Associate of Science degree from Dine College and soon after I plan to transfer to a university to continue my education. This summer, I am looking forward to being a new scholar to the BRIDGE to STEAM summer internship. I am helping in sampling of pinon tree, lake sage, and forest sage within the Tsalie, AZ area. Some of my favorite personal hobbies include spending time with loved ones, cooking, traveling to new places, being outdoors, working with livestock such as my cows."

Josephine is from Chinle, Arizona. She is a sophomore studying Public Health. A career goal of hers is to become a counselor at a local reservation high school, and her hobbies include dancing. Her summer research focused on the difference between treated areas and non-treated areas in sage. 

“I am from Fort Defiance, Arizona and I am a Junior majoring in Agroecology/ Plant Emphasis. My academic goal includes being the first generation in my family to graduate from university in hopes to prioritize school gardens throughout my career. This summer, my research will entail Pinon Trees and Native plants. Outside of academics, I enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, traveling and cooking.” 

“I am from Saint Michaels, Arizona and I am currently a Senior majoring in Public Health. My academic goals entail strengthening my understanding of public health principles and foundational concepts while integrating STEM knowledge and advancements to advocate and promote optimal health for tribal communities. My overall career goal is to positively impact the health of my home community of the Navajo Nation as a Public Health Nurse. Outside of academia, I enjoy hiking, exercising, cooking new recipes, reading contemporary fiction novels, and watching true crime documentaries.”

Kayla is from Navajo Nation. She is a junior studying Biomedical Sciences with the goal of excelling in all her classes and graduating with her bachelor's degree. Her summer research focused on endophytes on trees within the area of Diné College. Her career goals include being a part of the healthcare industry. In her spare time, Kayla enjoys competing in rodeos and has recently discovered an obsession with pho. 

"My name is Nicole Vann, I am currently a junior at the University of Arizona studying Environmental Science. I am very passionate about helping my community and plan to come back to my hometown of Chinle or the Navajo reservation after college to provide aid to uranium mines or help everyone attain running water. My motivation for helping my community stems from my experience working with Chinle Planting Hope where I collaborate with a group of volunteers to provide resources and nutritious food to reservations struggling with food insecurity, and constantly encourage people to participate in our efforts. Similarly, a lot of my hobbies outside of school consist of volunteering, getting in shape, and spending quality time with my mom."

"I am Diné (Navajo) and I am from Saint Michaels, Arizona. I'm a junior majoring in Biology and I recently graduated with my associate's degree in Environmental Science. My academic goals include graduating with a Bachelor's in Biology with a high GPA. The research I am participating in focuses on endophytes in sagebrush."

"I'm from Shiprock, New Mexico, and I'm a junior majoring in Life. My academic goals entail graduating with my Bachelor's and moving on to graduate school to continue on to my Ph.D in Microbiology. This summer, my summer research revolves around fungal endophytes. Outside of academia I enjoy cooking and trying new foods, as well as hiking."

"My name is Valeria Icaza, I was born and raised in Ecuador and moved to the United States to go to college. I am a senior undergraduate student, completing a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. My experience in the university laboratory research field has brought my attention to study and investigation involving microbial and fungal pathogens and their molecular analysis. After college, I plan on attending graduate school to pursue a PhD in Genetics. Coming from a culturally diverse background, I have been able to see real life problems at a worldwide level, that are concerning in the health field. I want to take part in helping them through my research as well as bridge knowledge gaps in scientific research."

"My name is Alyssa Joe, I am currently a senior at the University of Arizona studying biology, while also participating in the Neuroscience GID program. I am very passionate about studying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) since I have experienced firsthand the challenges that growing up with this disorder can have when teachers are not experienced or prepared to handle a student in these circumstances. In the future, I hope to be able to connect with others who share similar struggles and design a mice model that can replicate for ADHD research. Having a colorful mindset is never a weakness and I am proud of how I have always found a way to achieve my goals even when I was told they were impossible. The challenges with my ADHD and my background as a Navajo motivate me to complete my education as a biomedical scientist, and I am excited about the opportunity to do that as a new student at the University of Arizona."

"My name is Darrell Yazzie Jr. and I'm from Klagetoh, Arizona. I am pursing my Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis on Plants. My academic goal is to complete a Master's Degree, as this will be a personal stepping stone as I will be the first in my immediate family to have reached a Master's Degree. My research is to determine which fungi are in a symbiotic relation with a species of tall and short sage in the Fort Defiance agency, then to determine if any found have been identified or if there are new fungi that will be the first to be found."