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Naya Winters, a recent TNA graduate and Stanton Heights resident, will be heading down to the Bayou State this summer to attend Xavier University of Louisiana. At 18 years old, Naya is excited to expand her horizons outside of Pittsburgh to pursue a degree in Pre-Med Biology.  

“I received a generous yearly scholarship from Xavier and qualified to take part in their honors courses. I’m excited to start!” said Naya. “I’ve lived in Pittsburgh my whole life. I want to see new things, meet new people, and see the real world.”
 

After college, Naya has plans to return to the Steel City to attend medical school at the University of Pittsburgh. Her ultimate goal is to one day become an OB/GYN.

“At first, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I thought about going into acting,  becoming an esthetician, or even starting my own business,” said Naya. In 11th grade, she wrote a paper about the discrimination of the Black community in the medical field and the low representation of Black professionals in the field.

“I learned that Black women have a much higher mortality rate than White women during pregnancy,” she said. “Many people don’t understand the pain that Black women endure and these are the reasons why I want to become a doctor for women.”

Naya is a talented student in and out of the classroom. Although she loves math and anything STEM related, and she is a skilled actress and hair stylist. She also works part-time at Prantl's Bakery in Shadyside, and with 10 older siblings, she is always busy babysitting her nieces and
nephews.

Her favorite memory at TNA involved the college tour at Ohio State University last year. “The van ride was so much fun,” she said. “We played on the basketball courts, went out for some good food, and it was so much fun just being with my friends.”

Naya has a quote tattooed on herself – a reminder to always think positively and the power of manifestation. 

It reads: “It all begins and ends with the mind. What you give power has power over you, if you allow it.”

Congratulations, Naya!