Meet Jackie - A 2010 Recipient
Jackie Nevarez, a nursing and massage therapy student at the University of Texas - El Paso, was among the Diverse Scholars Initiative recipients in 2010. Jackie said that when she found out she had been awarded a scholarship from the United Health Foundation she felt a special sense of accomplishment. “It gave me a huge opportunity and it definitely helped financially,” said Jackie. “But it also felt really good that I did it on my own. My mom didn’t have to pay or work more to help me.”
Jackie was motivated in a very personal way to pursue a health care career. At 9 years old she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease lupus. Over time, the disease damaged her kidneys, and at 10 she was receiving blood dialysis treatments. By the time she turned 16, Jackie had undergone a kidney transplant.
“With my personal experiences and growing knowledge, I hope to educate those in the health care field to better understand the needs of the people they encounter and help them serve their community in a more personal way.” » READ MORE
Meet Tenai - A 2009 Recipient
Tenai Roan is an inspiring student who has benefitted from the Diverse Scholars Initiative. Raised on a small reservation in the town of Church Rock, New Mexico, Tenai always knew that she wanted a career where she could help people. But like many students in lower income communities, she didn’t know how she could pay for college and make her dream a reality. She knew she was smart enough — and had the support of her friends and family — but the key was identifying the right opportunity to make it happen.
Her mother relocated to Arizona so Tenai could attend a small school where she would get more personalized attention; but with a United Health Foundation scholarship Tenai was able to attend Arizona State University. When Tenai received word of her scholarship she and her mom “freaked out,” said Tenai. “It’s made such a huge difference in my ability to pay for school and focus on learning rather than how I was going to pay for school.” Tenai has a stellar 3.78 GPA at Arizona State and is pursuing a degree in pediatric nursing.
She is committed to using her degree — and the opportunity that she has received — to return to Church Rock and help those in need. This kind of support can make a real difference in underserved communities.
According to Richard B. Williams, president and CEO, American Indian College Fund, “The majority of our tribal college graduates return to their communities with the desire to improve the lives of their people. What better way to do so than to use a scholarship to earn an education to help solve the disproportionate health care issues affecting Native people.” » READ MORE
Meet Diana - A 2008 Recipient
Diana Mendoza was born in Guatemala and immigrated to the United States with her family in 1984. Today, she is a graduate of Baruch College in New York with a Masters of Public Administration degree.
As a National Urban Fellow, Diana worked at the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families in New York City. There she directed a program that provides health and safety training to Spanish-speaking and bilingual child caregivers. With the help of a United Health Foundation scholarship from the National Hispanic Health Foundation, Diana was able to continue her education while completing the fellowship.
Dedicated to helping Latina women and immigrants, Diana has worked as a coordinator for a women’s HIV and STD prevention program in the Chicago Latino community. She later worked as a congressional staffer on women’s issues, minority health and immigration, and went on to become a policy analyst with the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
Diana says, “My strengths lie in helping others to see their own strengths. I want to give my community tangible tools they can use to empower themselves so that that they can be resources for their own communities.”
