Barbara DuBray-Benstein, PhD, Blends Lifetime and Legacy Gifts to Fund Endowment

For more than four decades, Barbara DuBray-Benstein, PhD, devoted her career to education, discovery, and service at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences. This lifelong connection to the University of Tennessee System began as an undergraduate at UT Martin, continued as a student at UT Health Sciences in one of the country’s earliest cytotechnology programs, and grew into a faculty career that helped shape generations of health care professionals.

Dr. DuBray-Benstein's career, however, was one she didn’t initially expect to pursue. She once imagined a laboratory-focused career, but the mentorship and support she received from her own instructors in cytotechnology (now known as cytopathology) left a lasting impression.

Inspired to provide that same guidance to future generations, she went on to spend nearly 41 years educating students while also continuing to practice and consult in the field. As a professor in both the College of Health Professions and the College of Medicine, she trained students and pathology residents alike—fostering not only the necessary diagnostic skills but also instilling a deep sense of purpose and service.

This commitment to students continues after her retirement from UT Health Sciences. Dr. DuBray-Benstein had established the Dr. Barbara DuBray-Benstein Endowment to support cytopathology students, initially focused on helping those in their final year of study manage expenses such as travel or board exams. Today the fund meets other needs, including recruiting talented students from across the country and helping ease the growing burden of educational debt.

In addition to annual contributions to the endowment, Dr. DuBray-Benstein has included a planned gift through her estate, ensuring the scholarship’s impact will extend far into the future. This generosity reflects both gratitude and foresight.

“I’m grateful for the many opportunities I had here at UT Health Sciences,” she says. “It’s important to give back and help provide opportunities for others.”

Even in her retirement years she remains dedicated to teaching, now volunteering her time helping elementary students learn to read. For Dr. DuBray-Benstein, education was about opening doors and empowering talent—and through her legacy gift, she will continue to do just that.

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The University of Tennessee Foundation Inc., is the preferred channel for all private contributions that benefit students and faculty within the UT System.