I am 41 years old. I started my college education 2 years ago in the Fall of 2023. I grew up on the Navajo reservation most of my life with my siblings, in my grandmother's home. Throughout my childhood we were treated unfairly at the reservation boarding school because we aren't fully Navajo. In the cities, we were treated differently by many because we are Navajo. My mother is full Navajo and my father is Caucasian, Scottish, and Tlingit. During my childhood and adolescence my parents moved us around alot because of their financial insecurities. They were never financially stable. My 3 sisters and I (4 of us) all slept in one bedroom of an old run down trailer. We grew up receiving our food from shelters or food banks. Finally, we moved back to the reservation to my grandmother's home. This became our home base. This became our permanent home during my teenage years. In high school I was the Salutatorian of my graduating class of approximately 12 students. My parents did not celebrate my accomplishment or my graduation. I spent my graduation night with my older sister. I did not know that I could enroll in college, with my 4.0 GPA. I didn't know that I could apply for funding or scholarships. My parents didn't know about these things to teach me. College was not an option for me as far as I knew. I am now 41 years old and half way through my college career. Enrolling in the University and starting my first semester were the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life. And I am a mother of four kids. I am enrolled at Northern Arizona University and passed my Nursing entrance exam in the Spring of 2025. I was accepted and will start the Nursing program in the Fall of 2025. I returned to school to accomplish a higher education so that I could be a better provider for my kids, more than my parents were for me. I had already worked in the medical field for 21 years...and counting. I have loved working in the medical field, and I look forward to providing care to patients at a higher level. Receiving this scholarship will help me achieve my goals during Nursing school. It will be difficult for me to work during this next semester due to my 7 class schedule. This next semester will be my first semester for the Nursing Program and my schedule is stacked with 7 classes for 20 credits. I know that it will be hard, and I expect myself to do well with my studies. Last semester, I had straight A's and made the Dean's list for the second semester in a row. I appreciate any and all help I receive as well as the time that is taken for this application to be reviewed. Thank you for your time, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). I am 41 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four with 2 children also attending college. I have been a medical assistant for 21 years and put off returning to school for a Nursing degree while my kids were very young. I want to become a nurse so that I can care for patients at a higher level. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to give when I become a nurse. I want to be able to care for someone in their most vulnerable state and advocate for them when they need it. I was raised within a family that didn't have much at all, except each other. We learned to survive on very little and I have made it my life goal to provide a better future for my children. As an adult I have not had any family support except the family I made with my husband. I grew up on a reservation for most of my life and as a person that was exposed to culture and diversity from another state, I was not treated well. I had to overcome adversity with the people I went to school with. For many years of not being treated well as a child and teenager, I think that I have done pretty well for myself, my kids and my husband. I knew that returning to school would not be easy. It was not going to be easy financially for my family of six. My husband has been a great support system for me and even more over the past 2 years since I enrolled at Northern Arizona University. I remember feeling intimidated when I was enrolling for my first semester of classes. I also had one online class. I grew up at a time when we didn't have computers, laptops, and internet instantly at our fingertips. I had to quickly figure out a completely new way of learning. Lectures, the fastest note taking I've ever done in my life, downloading, uploading, and submitting everything on the school platform. These were all new to me. I've also had the opportunity to speak in front of people, maybe I'll get used to it one day. While I am attending classes at Northern Arizona University I have learned more about myself. I have been able participate with the much younger peers in my classes. We get to compare our perspectives. Myself as a 41 year old, and my peers being anywhere from 18 into their twenties. My classmates are in the same age group at my daughters. To become a nurse I had to go on this life journey to get where I am at today and to be the person that I am today. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. I am excited for what the future has on hold for me. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. However, I am encouraging them to go to college right after high school. I like to talk to them about how important it is for them to have their own independence as they get older and become young adults. Over the years, working as a medical assistant I have been able to experience working in different specialties. My favorite thing to do has been wound care and injuries. I would always ask to do the wound care, wound dressings (bandaging). I have gained so much experience in chronic health as well. I have learned how to educate patients with their medical conditions, treatment, and medication. I have also had the opportunity with working at campus Health medical clinic at Northern Arizona University. Working at various places over the years has taught me so much about medicine. I am looking forward to completing the nursing program at Northern Arizona University in the next two years. People have been asking me since I enrolled, if I know or have an idea of what type of nursing I want to go into. At this time I want to go into Trauma. People are so vulnerable in those conditions. I want to learn the skills that will be fast and efficient in case it is needed for a rapid response to a situation. I want to learn to provide the highest level and quality of care that people should have while receiving medical care. I'd like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my best, Krystalynn Thompson

My name is Krystalynn Thompson. I have been a mother since 2004, when I had my first child, my oldest daughter. Then up to 10 years later I had three more children with my husband. I was nearing he end of the Medical Assistant program in Phoenix, AZ. I had moved to Phoenix with my future husband when I was 19 to go to school to get into healthcare. When I was a teenager I never thought that I would be in healthcare. I had always imagined my life as an artist. After high school, thinking about what would be a more economical choice, I decided to apply for my tribes trade opportunity program. I went to this trailer almost daily, four to five times a week to apply and take ridiculous amounts of paperwork to them. Finally, I was accepted into the program. From that moment, I knew the path my future was headed was not going to be on the reservation for the rest of my life. I wanted to make a positive impact in the lives of others. Nearing the end of the 10 month Medical Assistant program, my husband and I welcomed our daughter. I was required to postpone school for one month. After that month I returned and finished my last month of classes and then completed the externship. I ended up graduating with a high GPA. Instead of the 4.0 I aimed for I was just below that because I could not afford interview clothes for my final professional class. But I know I worked hard and was proud of what I accomplished. 20 years later I am still a Medical Assistant at an Internal Medicine private practice. In 2012 I signed up to go to the local community college, I didn't make it to officially enrolling into classes. I did that at least two more times. In January of 2023, I started thinking about where I was seeing myself in 5 more years, when I am in my mid-40s. I actually imagined struggling financially, still living paycheck to paycheck, and not being able to spend time with my family because I am trying to get all the work hours I can. I felt unhappy and overwhelmed with those thoughts. That evening I went home and spoke to my husband about it. I told him that I want to enroll at the University for the upcoming Fall semester. The next day, I remained committed. I logged on the computer, and applied to be enrolled. The next 4 months, I stayed committed to my family's future and continued the enrollment process. Once I knew that school was official, my husband and I called a family meeting with our four children. Our daily routines were about to change in the next 2 to 3 months, for the next 4 years. My husband was a stay at home dad. He took care of everything for our family since our girls were about 3 years old. We chose this option because it would allow me to be able to work as much as I needed to. I could stay later, work my way up the chain in the clinic I was working at. I could be more available for my position. Now my husband is working, I work part-time to help with bills. I go to school full-time. My first 2 semesters were 6 classes each. This semester is 5 classes and working. I am excited for what my family's future holds and the quality of life we will have. I am going to be a Registered Nurse.