Chinarah: Building a Future for Herself and for Others

At first glance, Chinarah Winston’s schedule seems almost impossible.

A senior at the University of Louisville majoring in psychology on a pre-physician assistant track, this Family Scholar House participant spends her days immersed in research, completing an internship, and gaining clinical experience through shadowing. At the same time, she is raising two young daughters—balancing the daily realities of motherhood with the long-term pursuit of a career in healthcare.

But for Chinarah, this isn’t just about achieving personal success. It’s about creating meaningful change—for her family and for others who need someone to believe in them.

“Right now, I’m developing research, completing my internship, and doing shadowing hours,” she explained. “I’m working to become a well-rounded psychiatric physician assistant.”

Her academic path is both ambitious and deeply intentional. Under the guidance of Dr. Maria Kondaurova at the University of Louisville, Chinarah has spent the past three years researching linguistic discrimination and its effects on mental health. The work focuses on how students — particularly international, Hispanic, and African American students — experience barriers in higher education due to language-based bias and misrepresentation.

The implications are huge. By examining how linguistic discrimination impacts mental health, Chinarah and her research team are helping to shine a light on challenges that often go unnoticed. Their work has already been presented at conferences, with plans for further presentations and publication ahead.

“We look at the barriers students face and how being misrepresented linguistically affects them,” she said. “And how that ultimately impacts their mental health.”

Yet even with such demanding academic work, Chinarah felt called to do more—especially for younger students navigating their own challenges.

Through her internship with SPAVA (Society for the Prevention of Aggressiveness and Violence Among Adolescents), she saw an opportunity to make a direct impact. What began as an internship soon grew into something of her own: a mentoring initiative for young girls at a local elementary school.

There, Chinarah works closely with students to help them build confidence, understand their emotions, and develop healthy ways to respond to conflict. “We talk about emotional cues, violence prevention, and just how to carry ourselves,” she said. “How to develop ourselves and become girls of substance as we transition into middle school.”

It’s work that reflects both her academic focus and her personal values—meeting young people where they are and helping them imagine what they can become.

All of this unfolds alongside one of her most important roles: being a mother.

Raising two young daughters while pursuing a rigorous academic and professional path is no small feat. And yet, when Chinarah talks about her children, there is a sense of clarity and calm.

“With everything that I’m juggling, my children are probably the easiest part of my life right now,” she said with a smile. They’re not just part of her story—they’re her motivation.

Through the support of Family Scholar House, Chinarah has been able to pursue her education while providing stability for her family. That support has made it possible for her to focus not only on surviving, but on thriving—and on extending that same sense of possibility to others.

Whether she is mentoring young girls, conducting meaningful research, or preparing for a future in mental health care, Chinarah is building something bigger than a career.

She’s building a life of purpose—and helping others do the same.