Achieving Big Orange Dreams on a Fast Track

May 7, 2025 by ljudy

Kaden Cobb’s high school classmates nominated her as “Most likely to win an argument” among their senior class in Clarksville, Tennessee, and three years later she is headed to law school.

This spring Cobb is completing a bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, after making the dean’s list every semester while working several jobs. A recipient of more than half a dozen scholarships, the first-generation college student is graduating debt-free.

Cobb also has been recognized as a Volunteer of Distinction and earned the highest GPA in the College of Arts and Sciences. Next she will attend the UT College of Law. “I am really excited for three more years as a Vol,” Cobb said.

She knew by middle school that she wanted to be a lawyer. “I’ve always advocated for myself and others naturally,” said Cobb, who plans a career as a criminal defense attorney. “I like the idea of working for underrepresented communities.”

“I look forward to the opportunity to advocate for people that don’t always have the resources to fight for or advance themselves, such as economically disadvantaged, mentally ill individuals, and others,” she said. “I am excited to be a voice for the voiceless.”

During school breaks she served internships at two law firms in her hometown, filing court documents and accompanying attorneys to court.

Academic Opportunities

Cobb entered UT in an accelerated program to earn BS and JD degrees in six years. Under the 3+3 Program as a Pre-Professional Programs major, students complete three years of undergraduate coursework in the College of Arts and Sciences and then three years in the College of Law.

However, she enjoyed the law and courts classes she took through the Department of Political Science and during her second year at UT realized she could complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and still graduate early, rather than remain a Pre-Professional Programs major.

“Political science is a big major, but they make it feel really small,” Cobb said. “I have never met a political science professor that didn’t deeply care for their students.”

In Political Science 301 Research Methods, for example, Assistant Professor Stephanie Casey Pierce explained the relevance to Cobb’s future career as a lawyer. “She was like, ‘You might not do research in the future, but you’re going to be looking at case precedent, and this is how you read, and this is how you figure out what’s important to you and why it’s important to you,” Cobb said. “I could rave about Dr. Pierce all day long. I really look up to her and the way that she meets students with support and guidance and grace.”

Cobb traveled to Florence, Italy, in the summer of 2024 through the department’s study abroad program. Financial support through the Political Science Enrichment Fund and the Scott and Tamara Franklin Endowment made her first trip outside the US possible. “It was the most amazing experience,” Cobb said, and it led to her interest in taking an international law course.

In one of her freshman political science courses, Cobb heard that the UT College of Law would host an appellate court hearing, and one of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals judges would be UT alumna Jill Bartee Ayers (JD ’92).

“Getting to see Jill Ayers in action was really inspiring and motivational for me, and I love that UT has opportunities like that,” Cobb said.

In her freshman year, an abnormal psychology class with Distinguished Lecturer Katie Rowinski allowed Cobb to better understand post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), something she has seen firsthand through her father, after multiple deployments with the military. Cobb added a psychology minor and incorporated her interest into the political science research methods class.

“I drafted a research proposal geared towards combating PTSD in combat veterans with VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) support,” she explained. “Classes have really stirred in me this passion for serving the military and serving those who fight so hard for us, like my dad.”

Always a Vol

Although she grew up with another university in her hometown, UT was an obvious choice for Cobb.

“I have been a Tennessee fan genuinely my entire life,” she said. “I probably own more orange than half of the people at this university.”

“I could always count on my mom to be streaming any UT sporting event at our family dinner,” she said.

Plus, Cobb said, “I love to meet new people. I met my freshman year roommate, who is from Minnesota, and I learned so much about a state that I’ve never been to. I really have found my home away from home here. I’ve met friends that I know will carry me into the next chapter of my life, every chapter of my life.”

Cobb has shared her love for the university as a member of the Volunteer Team, hosting UT football recruits on home game days and participating in other events, such as the spring open house Big Orange Preview.

“Vol Team has definitely been one of the most rewarding experiences, and it’s taught me so many people skills and how to interact with others,” Cobb said. “It’s so special to talk to people that really don’t know much about the University of Tennessee and share a real-life student experience.”

She also worked at the Undergraduate Admissions Office front desk and for three semesters served as a tutor through the Thornton Center for Student-Athletes. Off campus she works as a nanny for two children.

Cobb is the new member educator for Kappa Alpha Pi, the pre-law and government fraternity on campus, guiding nearly 50 new members this spring. As a member of the Kappa Delta sorority, she has served as assistant director of scholarship and a Sisterhood Enrichment Team leader for new members.

She’s a Volunteer at home too. When her family’s therapy dog passed away unexpectedly in 2023, Cobb and her mother started Balls From Barkley, an organization that has provided more than 1,000 tennis balls to shelters and dog parks in Clarksville and surrounding counties.

When Cobb sleeps, the words “Dare Greatly” hang above her bed, inspiration from a speech by President Theodore Roosevelt that emphasizes the importance of striving toward goals without fear of failing. A printout of the “Man in the Arena” excerpt from Roosevelt’s speech is also is on her car visor, beside a photo of Cobb and her mother.

“I am the type of person that needs a lot of my plate in order to succeed, and I tell myself that there’s really no other option,” Cobb said. “As a first-generation student, I really prioritize making my family proud.”

While she has been firmly focused on her future, Cobb advises incoming Vols to live in the moment a bit more than she might have as an undergraduate. “Say yes when your friends want to go to Cruze Farm on a Monday night, when you have an exam the next day, and never skip a football game,” she said.

By Amy Beth Miller