Finding Strength Through Adversity
By Vivian DiSalvo (Class of 2026)
In her world civics class, 12-year-old Caterina Obenauf wrote her name on the whiteboard with the letters “PhD” after it. Now a fourth-year doctoral student in counseling psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, her young dream is within reach.
After beginning her higher education journey in mathematics, Obenauf realized how much she loves the brain.
“I’ve really grown to love rehabilitation and the intersection between mental health and cognitive health,” says Obenauf. “I’m working toward becoming a clinical neuropsychologist, specializing in supporting individuals who are experiencing changes in their thinking abilities. As a UT student, I’ve had wonderful experiences working with people with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer survivors like myself.”
“UT, especially the faculty and the staff, has been so supportive of me trying different things and figuring out that neuropsychology is what I wanted to do.”
Caterina Obenauf
Thanks to the support she receives from the Arthur E. Yates Graduate Fellowship, Obenauf can dive headfirst into the world of neuropsychology. Established through a charitable remainder trust from a 1938 graduate of UT, Arthur E. Yates, this fellowship supports those in the final stages of their dissertation. Because of this support, Obenauf can work hands-on with patients at Knox Neuropsychology, a local clinic dedicated to neuropsychological assessment and therapy services. She’s also able to help patients from the Pat Summit Clinic, as much of the clinic’s overflow gets rerouted to Knox Neuropsychology.
“I get to do evaluations and participate in rehabilitative care and multidisciplinary care,” Obenauf says. “UT, especially the faculty and the staff, has been so supportive of me trying different things and figuring out that neuropsychology is what I wanted to do.”
She’s had incredible impact on the multiple sclerosis (MS) community in Knoxville. Obenauf leads a free support group for those with MS, a resource invaluable to those who might be struggling. This opportunity offers them a free resource that they might not have otherwise and marks one more way Obenauf is improving advocacy in the mental health landscape for Knoxville.
Obenauf with colleagues during the 2025 Connecting Across Disciplines Conference
In addition to advocating for mental health for those with MS, Obenauf also sought to create more mental health awareness at UT. Because of this, in collaboration with some of her colleagues in the counseling psychology program, she formed a mental health access and advocacy conference that took place at UT this April.
“Caterina continues to make an impact on her community, both professionally and personally,” says Gina Owens, Obenauf’s academic advisor and professor of psychology. Owens has supported Obenauf throughout her time at UT and even helped her find new opportunities like those at Emory University, in Obenauf’s hometown of Atlanta. She encouraged Obenauf to apply as a neuropsychology extern with the internationally regarded Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, where Obenauf worked with veterans who have brain injuries from combat.
“Caterina has always been exceptional academically,” says Owens, “She has continued to find the strength to be productive with research and her academic goals.”
However, her path has not always been linear—especially when cancer threw a wrench in her plans. Even though this sparked hardship and adversity in her journey, Obenauf was able to fall back on her fellowship in time of need.
“When you go through an experience like this, it changes how you relate to people. It changes how you see the world. It changes how you see your life,” Obenauf says. “I chose UT because I was so impressed by how much the entire institution is so focused on students’ success, and I have experienced this dedication myself—my professors and peers have been nothing but supportive during my time at UT. I was even allowed to attend class virtually while receiving chemotherapy.”
“I chose UT because I was so impressed by how much the entire institution is so focused on students’ success, and I have experienced this dedication myself—my professors and peers have been nothing but supportive during my time at UT.”
Caterina Obenauf
Though her life was uprooted amidst graduate school, having to move back to Atlanta to receive treatment, her fellowship gave her the cushion she needed to make an easy transition home. Now in remission, she’s so thankful for the opportunities she has found at UT thanks to her fellowship, including attending her fair share of UT sports. She even names a baseball game as her fondest memory at UT. She was enamored with the culture on campus, in addition to UT’s plethora of experiential learning opportunities.
“I was really impressed by how a lot of the psychologists were working with different community organizations and partnering with them to promote mental health but also to advocate for mental health services on the state and national level,” says Obenauf.
In her last semester, Obenauf is just a few months away from achieving the dream she visualized at twelve years old.
“To prepare for the next step in my career, which is a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology, I must have sufficient knowledge in neuroanatomy and neurology,” says Obenauf. “With the support of the Arthur E. Yates Graduate Fellowship, I can fund the tuition costs of courses, making me a much more competitive post-doctoral fellowship applicant and a much better clinical neuropsychologist in the future—someone that 12-year-old me could look up to.”
Connecting Across Disciplines Conference 2025
