Theme: To Anywhere

This event is designed in order to spark ideas and innovate thoughts among the high school students in the Nashville area. There will be five intimate breakout sessions offered. Both industry and college students will share their wisdom and experiences in each breakout session category. We suggest the students to pick a particular breakout session based of their major of interest: Music, General/Health Sciences, Business/Entrepreneurship, Media/Communication, and Law/Legal Studies.

Johnson Theater at Belmont University
15th Avenue and Soccer Field Drive
Nashville, Tennessee, 37212
United States

Alberto Gonzales

Alberto R. Gonzales served as the 80th Attorney General of the United States from 2005-2007. Gonzales is author of "True Faith and Allegiance" and "A Conservative and Compassionate Approach to Immigration Reform". Currently, Gonzales is Dean and Doyle Rogers Distinguished Professor of Law at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Caitlin Crosby

Actress, singer, songwriter and entrepreneur Caitlin Crosby knows a thing or two about inspiring others. While on tour, Caitlin started The Giving Keys, a jewelry company that gives jobs to those affected by homelessness. Each product carries an inspiring message like FEARLESS, HOPE, BELIEVE or COURAGE. When the wearer encounters someone else who needs the message - they are encouraged to embrace their word, then Pay It Forward by giving their product to a person who needs the message more.

Gracie Schram

Singer/Songwriter/Philanthropist Gracie Schram hails from Kansas City, but her music has taken her around the world performing in Sweden, London, China and more. Gracie’s career is firmly rooted in her humanitarian spirit. Since her debut album, she has raised over $45,000 building an orphanage in Haiti, two fish ponds in Africa and a home in Colombia.

Jeremy Cowart

Named the “Most Influential Photographer on the Internet” by Huffington Post, Forbes and Yahoo in 2014, Jeremy Cowart is an award-winning photographer, artist, and entrepreneur whose goal in life is to use his creative platform to inspire and help others.

Ken Spring

Dr. Spring, is an Associate Professor of Sociology. He has been an active member of the Belmont community since 2002. He holds an M.A. in Sociology with a focus on community development from the University of Toledo and a Ph.D. in Sociology with a focus in social and cultural theory from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Spring was the recipient of the Harold Love Community Service award from the Tennessee Governor’s office and Tennessee Department of Higher Education for his role in creating the YMCA Literacy Program in Middle Tennessee. His current research focuses on the relationship music in identity formation within popular culture. In addition to his community service and research, Dr. Spring has been interviewed by more than 20 local and national news publications and has appeared in several documentaries discussing various aspects of culture which have aired internationally on Bravo!, Current TV, and nationally on PBS.

Mark Maxwell

Mark H. Maxwell is a Nashville-based entertainment attorney, music business veteran and Belmont University professor. Throughout his career, he has been committed to counseling and connecting creatives who shape culture.

Megan Beaven

Megan Beaven moved to Nashville from Louisville, KY to attend Belmont University and pursue a career in the music industry. After graduating and spending time in the music industry, she combined her love of cookie dough and her entrepreneur mindset to launch NoBaked Cookie Dough, a company specializing in gourmet, safe-to-eat cookie dough.

Mudi Yang

Mudi Yang, a senior at Hume Fogg Magnet High School, has been curious about the world around him for as long as he can remember. In a research program where he had the opportunity to model the behavior of black holes and dark matter using cosmological simulations, he began to realize the limitless possibilities that come with computer simulations.