A scholarship, a sibling legacy and a climb toward medicine
Submitted | Carolyn Calvin, Office Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance
Kiara D. Bia (left), a 2025 Chief Manuelito Scholar, stands with her brother, Dr. Aaron Bia, who received the award in 2012. The siblings, from Canyon De Chelly, Ariz., share a proud connection to the prestigious scholarship. Dr. Aaron Bia is a family medicine provider at the Chinle Comprehensive Health Facility in Chinle.
BÉÉSH HÁÁT’I
When Kiara D. Bia’s name was called at the Chief Manuelito Scholarship awards ceremony on July 25, she didn’t just join a class of high achievers. She joined a lineage – one that runs through her family, her community and her future.
Bia, 18, is the youngest of four children and the daughter of Tilda and Darrell Bia of Canyon de Chelly. She graduated from Corona Del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona, and is preparing to attend Arizona State University this fall, where she plans to major in medical microbiology and follow a pre-med track.
“I think earning the Chief Manuelito Scholarship is a really great honor for me, especially for my family,” she said. “My mom and my three brothers are also Chief Manuelito Scholars. I think it’s important to keep the tradition going and to honor Chief Manuelito’s legacy as someone who prioritized education and representing the Diné people.”
To read the full article, please see the July 31, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.
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