2021 Remember the Ten Scholarship recipients announced

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Media Contact: Jason Pogue | Director, Fiscal Operation and Human Resources | 405-744-9992 | jason.pogue@okstate.edu

It has been more than 20 years since the Oklahoma State University family lost 10 of its own in a plane crash in Colorado.

A little over a decade after the horrible events of Jan. 27, 2001, a scholarship program was created in memoriam of the 10 lives lost: Kendall Durfey, Bjorn Fahlstrom, Nathan Fleming, Will Hancock, Daniel Lawson, Jr., Brian Luinstra, Denver Mills, Pat Noyes, Bill Tietgens and Jared Weiberg.

Created in 2012, the scholarship program supports graduate students seeking a master’s degree or doctorate at OSU in mental health counseling, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology or marriage and family therapy. Each recipient receives a $1,000 cash scholarship.

The scholarship focuses on degrees that provide support in grief and bereavement.

For more information on the scholarship or how to donate, visit remembertheten.com. 

The Remember the Ten Run — which is celebrating 15 years — usually takes place in April, but was postponed to Aug. 28 this year because of the pandemic.

This year’s recipients are:

Samantha Addante, from Chicago, is a third-year clinical psychology doctoral student under the mentorship of Dr. Lucia Ciciolla. She received her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research interests include examining risk and resilience within the context of intergenerational relationships. Addante is also committed to providing evidence-based care to children and families. She is currently the co-director of an intensive, exposure-based treatment program in Oklahoma City and will serve as the PSC associate director of therapy in the Department of Psychology at OSU.

“I am honored to be a recipient of the 2021 Remember the Ten Scholarship,” Addante said. “I feel this award will allow me to further my clinical and research training, and I am proud to stand among the Remember the Ten committee and others who also feel passionate about promoting family and community resilience.”

Cassidy Armstrong, from Waxahachie, Texas, received a bachelor’s degree from OSU in 2020. She is a first-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program specializing in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) health psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Ashley B. Cole. She is interested in research investigating AI/AN health behaviors and health disparities, specifically examining variables such as trauma, substance use and other mental health outcomes. Armstrong’s future ambitions are to conduct clinical work and research at an integrated health care facility to help individuals dealing with trauma and related health concerns. Further, she aims to serve as a mentor to young researchers from marginalized groups to help promote future generations of clinical scientists from underrepresented backgrounds. 

“It is with great humility and enthusiasm that I accept the Remember Ten Run Scholarship,” Armstrong said. “This is an incredibly prestigious honor that will support me in reaching my goals of earning a degree in higher education, which will allow me to establish a successful career as a clinical health psychologist. Further, this scholarship supports me to not only develop the necessary clinical skills to treat individuals who are dealing with trauma and various other health concerns, but also supports the research to examine the relationships among trauma and related mental and physical health outcomes. 

“It is an honor and a privilege to receive a scholarship that honors the legacy and memory of 10 members of our Oklahoma State family and promotes the urgent need for mental health services through support for the education of current graduate students pursuing careers in mental health.”

Déjà Clement, from New Paltz, New York, is a fourth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program. She is devoted to improving and increasing access to equitable mental health care services to all individuals regardless of their background. Her research interests include understanding risk and resilience factors that may influence suicide interventions and prevention for the Black community, specifically Black women. Her goal as a researcher and clinician is to amplify and advocate for the mental health needs of disadvantaged, underrepresented and underserved communities. 

 

Gina Erato, from Milwaukee, is a third-year clinical psychology doctoral student specializing in maternal mental health. Her clinical training at OSU and within the Stillwater community has solidified her passion of helping women, mothers-to-be and children live healthy lives and heal from grief and loss. Much of her recent clinical work has been aimed at reducing feelings of grief and loss during the COVID-19 pandemic as caregivers and their families cope with unexpected life changes. Broadly, Erato has always been passionate about helping women and mothers-to-be cope with the trauma associated with pregnancy losses while also supporting them through this unique grief. 

There are few clinicians who specialize and advocate for these women and childbearing people's mental health in Oklahoma, which makes this work even more important to her. The Remember the Ten Scholarship will provide Erato financial assistance to continue her strong commitment to providing evidence-based services to reduce grief and mental health stigma in women and mothers-to-be. 

Rachel Fisher, from Naples, Florida, is a second-year doctoral student in clinical psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Larry Mullins. Her long-term goals are to help families better cope with pediatric medical conditions through clinical practice and research, with specific interests in health care decision-making and communication, as well as palliative and end-of-life care. Fisher is honored to receive this prestigious award and shares Remember the Ten’s value for grief and bereavement counseling.

 

 

Tyler Kane, from Boston, is a second-year doctoral student in counseling psychology. He moved to Oklahoma after earning his bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science from George Washington University. His research interests involve clinical health psychology, the role of consultation in psychological care, LGBTQ+ affirmative mental health care and integrated behavioral health. He has worked in a number of clinical environments, including community, hospital and college-counseling contexts. He intends to pursue a career in health psychology within a family medicine context. 

 

Taylor Morgan, from Lubbock, Texas, received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from OSU. She is a first-year graduate student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program specializing in pediatric psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Larry Mullins. Morgan’s current research interests include improving coping and adjustment of children and families affected by chronic and life-threatening pediatric medical conditions, such as pediatric cancer and those admitted for inpatient pediatric rehabilitation. Eventually, Morgan hopes to work in an academic children’s medical center researching and implementing interventions to help children and families adjust to illness and improve psychosocial outcomes. She is humbled to receive the Remember the Ten scholarship as it honors 10 members of the OSU family by promoting counseling-related skills for grief and bereavement.

Caroline Roberts, from Fort Worth, Texas, received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Trinity University. She is a fourth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program specializing in pediatric psychology under the mentorship of Dr. John M. Chaney. She serves as an American Psychological Association-Division 54 Society of Pediatric Psychology Student Advisory Board member, co-chair of a network of campus representatives, and student representative of the Pediatric Gastroenterology Special Interest Group. She is interested in research investigating youth psychosocial adjustment to acute and chronic illnesses and the role of illness appraisals and family variables. Her future ambitions are to conduct clinical work and research at an academic medical center and help to improve youth and family adjustment to chronic health conditions. Further, she aims to serve as a mentor to young researchers and undergraduate students to help promote future generations of scientists and problem solvers.

“It is with great enthusiasm that I accept the Remember the Ten Run Scholarship,” Roberts said. “This scholarship is a prestigious opportunity that will further support my goals to earn an advanced degree that is vital to counseling and research skills and will assist me in my endeavors to become a successful pediatric psychologist. Further, this scholarship supports me to not only cultivate and develop the clinical skills to treat youth and families undergoing trauma and health concerns, but also the research to examine the relationship of family and child variables. 

“It is a privilege to receive a scholarship that honors the memory of 10 members of the OSU family, but also promotes the need for mental health services, as well as the education of current graduate students in the mental health field.”

Katie Traino, from Tulsa, is a second-year graduate student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program under the mentorship of Dr. Larry Mullins. She graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor’s in psychology. She became interested in studying pediatric psychology through her post-baccalaureate research fellowship at the NIMH Neuropsychology Consult Service. Traino’s current research interests include better understanding and conceptualizing short- and long-term child, parent and family adjustment and functioning outcomes in the context of multiple pediatric chronic illness populations. Traino's long-term goals are to conduct collaborative research and clinical work aimed at enhancing children’s and families’ skills in managing their own medical care and navigating the larger health care system.

Emma Unruh-Dawes, from Stillwater, is a second-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program. Her research focuses on the influence of media and technology on suicide and mental health more broadly.

“I’m proud to be a Stillwater native,” Unruh-Dawes said. “As a Stillwater local, receiving this scholarship award is incredibly special to me because I grew up learning about the 10 individuals that we honor as a result of this tragedy that took their lives. I am also honored and excited to receive this scholarship due to its emphasis on the importance of support through bereavement, something that I am also passionate about. Thank you again to the Remember the Ten steering committee for this honor, and Go Pokes!”