Dear Friends of Belmont,
At Belmont University, we believe in the power of hope. More than a passive wish, hope can serve as a transformative force that shapes lives, communities and the world. Hope, empowered by education, can unlock life-changing opportunities and life-giving solutions.
On October 16, 2025, we announced the public launch of Belmont University’s Hope Transforms campaign, a bold and visionary effort to raise $700 million to fuel the University’s future and the lives we are called to impact. This campaign is about people. It’s about students whose dreams can be brought to fruition through scholarships. It’s about faculty whose passion for teaching and research can flourish through endowed support. It’s about mission trips that change lives, research that solves real-world problems, facilities that offer spaces to meet modern challenges and programs that prepare students to lead with purpose and integrity.
And most importantly, it’s about you.
You are the heroes of this story. Your generosity, your belief in our mission and your commitment to shaping the next generation of leaders are what make this campaign possible. Hope Transforms is a movement driven by people who believe that education can be a force for good, that faith and learning can go hand in hand, and that together, we can make the world a better place.
Our $700 million goal is ambitious, and it must be to match our calling to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world. We are investing in several key areas that will shape Belmont’s future:
• SCHOLARSHIPS that open doors for students from all backgrounds, ensuring that financial barriers never stand in the way of a Belmont education.
• FACULTY ENDOWMENTS that attract and retain world-class educators and researchers who inspire, mentor and innovate.
• CAPITAL PROJECTS that create spaces where learning, collaboration and creativity thrive.
• CURRENT USE INITIATIVE S that support mission trips, research, service learning and other lifechanging experiences that define the Belmont experience.
Each of these priorities reflects our deep commitment to forming leaders of character who are equipped to provide transformational leadership in fields from health care to arts and entertainment to business to design and so much more. And we cannot do it alone. We need partners — visionaries like you — who are ready to invest in a future filled with hope. As we embark on this journey together, I ask you to consider the roles you can play. Whether through a gift, a conversation or campus engagement, your involvement matters.
We’ve seen the power of hope to transform lives at Belmont for more than 135 years. And with your help, Belmont will be positioned to do even more for the next century.
With deep gratitude and great hope,
Greg Jones President, Belmont University
transforms WHERE HOPE
AT BELMONT UNIVERSITY, WE OFFER A CHRIST-CENTERED EDUCATION THAT EMPOWERS LIVES, CAREERS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.
the story OF BELMONT
WHERE HOPE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMING LIVES SINCE 1890.
What makes Belmont University unique? What sets this institution apart from the thousands of others seeking to educate young men and women, preparing them for fulfilling careers and lives of purpose?
We have more than 135 years of history and thousands of alumni to answer those questions… yet it all really comes down to one word:
born of the Christian faith and developed across time through trials and opportunities.
exemplified in a legacy filled with trailblazers and dream chasers who consistently defied the odds.
witnessed again and again as this institution looked potential defeat in the eye, dug in and chose the riskier play... moves that made all the difference.
inspired by today’s students, faculty and staff, who are committed to developing their talents and skills for more than a paycheck… more than a career... they want to make the world a better place.
for a future beyond present imagination, guided by the God who is our One True Hope.
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
1890-1950
EXTRAORDINARY BEGINNINGS
1950-1990
EXPANDED VISION
1990-2021 A SEASON OF SIGNIFICANT GROWTH 2021A REDEMPTIVE QUEST: CHARACTER, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Belmont 1.0
EXTRAORDINARY BEGINNINGS
We have seen hope transform lives since our founding in 1890. We’ll call it Belmont 1.0 when two female schoolteachers, Susan Heron and Ida Hood, put their livelihoods on the line and accepted the difficult challenge of starting a school for young women at a time when women couldn’t vote and this property was in severe disrepair. Thanks to their efforts, this campus helped develop thousands of incredible women for more than 60 years, including legends like Sarah Cannon (Minnie Pearl) and Kennedy Center honoree Mary Martin.
1890-1950
Belmont 2.0
EXPANDED VISION
In 1951, we transformed from a women’s college into a full-fledged, co-ed higher education institution under the leadership of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. During Belmont 2.0, innovators like Herbert Gabhart and Jack Massey invested their time, energy and resources to ensure Belmont College would survive, despite a financial forecast that was frequently grim and a fire that devastated our infrastructure. Through their willingness to risk even amidst economic uncertainties, signature programs in business, nursing and a first-of-its-kind music business major were started, changing the course of Belmont’s future.
1950-1990
Belmont 3.0
A SEASON OF SIGNIFICANT GROWTH
Then came the 1990s and early 2000s, when Belmont 3.0 embraced new challenges and first earned its swing-for-the-fences reputation through countless surprising — even stunning — moves including acquiring two local colleges, joining NCAA Division I, starting new colleges in law, pharmacy and medicine… and, lest we forget, hosting two presidential debates. And while we transitioned from being a Baptist institution to an ecumenical one, the Christian faith remained this campus’ North Star, guiding our approach to education and service to the community.
1990-2021
Belmont 4.0
A REDEMPTIVE QUEST: CHARACTER, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Now, we welcome Belmont 4.0. The Belmont of today and tomorrow will build on an astounding legacy while learning to sing in a new key. It will take the best of what has gone before — our innate creativity, a mission-minded approach focused on developing Christ-centered character and an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit — and embed a new vision of higher education that broadens our scope and deepens our impact.
We are on a redemptive quest, taking the hope-inspired, faith-animated spirit of the Belmont community and focusing our immense intellectual and creative talent on tackling today’s complex problems. The intersections of Belmont’s unique educational calling card — Character, Creativity and Innovation — can foster a hope that will transform lives and communities, while catalyzing the University’s Aspirational Aim for 2030:
To be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, radically championing the pursuit of life abundant for all people.
2021-
goals & priorities OUR
A CAMPUS FOR CHARACTER, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
the campaign
BY THE NUMBERS
Belmont 4.0 — the dynamic future that has already begun with much more to come — is more than attainable given the history, the belief, the work ethic and the trajectory of this institution. It requires vision, demands out-of-the-box thinking and necessitates a significant level of support.
With the Hope Transforms comprehensive campaign, we intend to raise $700 million in the next six years to strengthen and grow our campus infrastructure, raise the endowment that secures our future and address immediate needs and opportunities to serve today’s students even better.
The Hope Transforms Campaign:
$700 Million By 2030
• The Hope Transforms Scholarship Challenge
• The Johnson Academic Challenge for endowed faculty positions
• Endowments for Belmont’s 12 Colleges
• Belmont 4.0 Special Projects / Initiatives
Endowment
Securing Our Future
$300 MILLION
• Athletics
Capital Investment
Strengthening Our Campus
$200 MILLION
Current Use
Addressing Needs, Embracing Opportunities
$200 MILLION
• Curb College on Music Row / Buddy Lee Buildings
• Design / Architecture Spaces — Leu Addition
• The CORD — Powerhouse
• College of Music & Performing Arts Rehearsal Spaces — Bunch Addition
• Belmont Innovation Labs
• Student Impact Fund
• College Annual Funds / Deans Discretionary Funds
• Athletics
Hope Transforms Goals
BY COLLEGE & INITIATIVE
While the campaign focuses on raising three different types of funds — ENDOWED, CAPITAL and CURRENT USE — the monies raised will be distributed across the institution, serving all Belmont’s colleges, Athletics and important University initiatives.
Our Campaign Priorities
Our vision for the future requires the entrepreneurial mindset and grit that’s defined Belmont since the beginning along with the fearlessness and swing-for-the-fences attitude that put the University on the map.
We will dig deep and double down on our priorities — the areas that have always set Belmont apart: CHARACTER, CREATIVITY and INNOVATION.
FORMING LEADERS OF CHARACTER
We are committed to educating and forming the hope-bearing leaders our world needs, people of exemplary character and abundant compassion who are well-trained and well-equipped to lead our world into the future. Inspired by our SOUL Framework, these leaders Seek Excellence, Offer Gratitude, Unleash Hospitality and Live the Dream Together in every discipline as they seek to make the world a better place.
CULTIVATING TRANSFORMATIONAL CREATIVITY
We understand creativity’s power to transform... lives, communities and even entire industries. By harnessing this power, we can develop new spaces, programs and storytelling pathways that leverage creativity to drive transformative change.
INSPIRING INNOVATION
Belmont can play a meaningful role in incubating, piloting and launching innovative solutions across disciplines that will lead to human flourishing. Our faith animates our commitment to leverage our resources, relationships and intellectual capital to help people thrive in every area of their lives. Belmont can play a key role in catalyzing Nashville as the world’s social innovation hub.
These dreams are God-sized, and in the pages that follow, you’ll learn more about our plans in each of these key priority areas. We know this future will require educated risks, hard work and dedicated partners.
Will you join us?
character FORMING
EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION TO TRANSFORM HOPE INTO ACTION
In the race for a competitive edge, many universities remain focused only on the professional skills taught in the classroom, aiming solely to prepare future employees for the workforce. Students are treated like “brains on sticks” with little to no regard for their holistic development.
Belmont does higher education differently.
Here, minds are broadened, talents developed and lives transformed. All the potential and promise hiding within each student is unleashed — yes, careers are birthed, but it’s about so much more. At Belmont, students begin learning from Day One about the SOUL Framework for Character and Leadership, the values that undergird their education and provide a sure foundation for their lives.
The attributes of seeking excellence, offering gratitude, unleashing hospitality and living the dream together — surrounded, upheld and informed by our pursuit of God’s wisdom — have been foundational to Belmont’s identity since its founding. Inspired by 3 John 1:2, each element is rooted in scriptural virtues — humility, joy, love and hope respectively — and represent the hallmarks of a Belmont education, one that goes beyond expanding minds into shaping hearts.
Why? Because the world doesn’t need just another person with a degree. The world needs well-equipped, empathetic, passionate leaders of character who are aiming to help people and communities flourish, people of SOUL who can enter their post-college lives and careers prepared to face whatever may come.
“BELOVED, I PRAY THAT IN ALL RESPECTS YOU MAY PROSPER AND BE IN GOOD HEALTH, JUST AS YOUR SOUL THRIVES.”
– 3 John 1:2
SOUL
The Hope Transforms Scholarship Challenge
EXPANDING ACCESS WHILE DOUBLING YOUR IMPACT
Providing pathways for more students to attend Belmont regardless of their economic situation is a presidential priority. We want to ensure that every student who embraces Belmont’s mission can have the opportunity to learn and grow on this campus. To form tomorrow’s leaders, we must increase access to, and the affordability of, a Belmont education. There is perhaps no more direct way to influence positive change through philanthropy than with scholarship support.
“BELMONT IS REIMAGINING HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH A FOCUS ON HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT, INSPIRING LIFE-LONG LEARNERS WHILE ALSO EQUIPPING THEM FOR SUCCESS AS LEADERS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND CITIZENS. WE EQUIP STUDENTS WITH THE THINKING SKILLS THEY WILL NEED THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES, AND WE DO IT WITHIN A NURTURING AND SUPPORTIVE CHRIST-CENTERED COMMUNITY.”
– Dr. David Gregory Executive Vice President for Academic Excellence and Provost
We know a Belmont education delivers results — the University’s 97 percent Career Outcomes rate demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of our graduates find employment or enter graduate school or the military within six months of commencement. We want every student to not only land their dream career, but to do so without student debt. That’s the kind of start in life that allows individuals, families and yes, even generations, to thrive.
Moreover, we need endowments that support such scholarships over the long term. Currently, less than 5 percent of institutional scholarships are funded, which means 95 percent of University academic, athletic and leadership merit awards are pulled from operational funds. We need more philanthropic support to increase the number of students we can support and the amount of the individual scholarships we offer while decreasing the burden on the budget needed to provide a Belmont education.
Scholarships...
INSPIRE HOPE
Philanthropic scholarship support empowers students who are eager to learn, grow and solve the world’s complex problems, students who want to become future leaders.
EXPAND ACCESS
Scholarship resources create pathways to enhance access and enable more students to consider a Belmont education, regardless of their family’s financial means.
TRANSFORM LIVES
Investments in talented and ambitious students extend beyond individual people to help families and communities flourish.
Scholarship Highlight: Bridges to Belmont
Bridges to Belmont is a transformative initiative that expands access to higher education. Originally launched to support high-achieving Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) students (the current Bell Tower Scholars program), Bridges has expanded its focus to broaden the spectrum of future leaders the program serves.
Whether entering directly from high school, participating in a pathway program or transferring from a two-year institution, students benefit from personalized mentoring, community-building experiences and tailored academic guidance. The program’s pre-college initiatives and partnerships with local organizations, high schools and community colleges strengthen the pipeline to Belmont, ensuring students are well-prepared for success. By fostering a culture of opportunity, the program empowers all scholars to grow intellectually, socially and spiritually.
Bridges scholarship donors help remove financial barriers and open doors to prepare more students to lead, serve and succeed. Together, we can ensure that every scholar — regardless of background or educational path — has the opportunity to pursue a Belmont education and make a lasting impact.
“BELMONT SEES US AS HUMANS BEFORE THEY SEE US AS STUDENTS. AND I FELT LIKE I NEVER SAW THAT AT ANY OTHER COLLEGE I APPLIED TO. I KNEW THAT BELMONT WAS A PLACE FOR ME AND THAT I NEEDED TO BE HERE BECAUSE I REALLY SEE COMMUNITY AS A WAY THAT I CAN THRIVE.”
– Princess Nwozo Class of 2028, Bell Tower Scholar
By the Numbers
Recognized as one of Money’s Best Colleges in America for 2025, Belmont’s value and impact can’t be understated. Still, we want to remove any financial obstacles that could prevent our graduates and their families from thriving.
TUITION & FEES ROOM & BOARD
AVE. AID AWARD AVE. UNDERGRADUATE
DEBT
Hope Transforms Scholarship Challenge: How It
Works
Through this challenge, Belmont will match the scholarship awards from all new endowed scholarship funds of $100,000 or more established during the campaign.
Gifts for scholarships at any time make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students, but the opportunity to increase the impact of your gift — by 100 percent — is only available while our matching capability lasts. Moreover, you can set your pledge to endow a new scholarship to be payable over five installments — with the fifth payment activating the matching institutional funds to further your impact.
1) Donor commits $100,000
2) Endowed fund delivers $4,500 in scholarship support (once fully funded)
3) Belmont matches scholarship with an extra $4,500 in aid — doubling your impact
Johnson Academic Challenge
ENDOWING FACULTY POSITIONS: EMPLOYING LEADING EXPERTS AND CARING MENTORS
Belmont’s people — our dedicated faculty and staff — represent a critical part of what makes Belmont different. They provide the “special sauce” our students feel daily in and out of the classroom. Think support, authenticity, hospitality, creativity, collaboration… the impact is so strong that relationships with faculty consistently rank as the best part of graduates’ Belmont experience.
How do we continue to attract and retain the best of the best — men and women of character — to teach and advise our students? How can we reimagine education by drawing in industry innovators who are passionate about training future leaders in their fields? How can new roles transform our classrooms by leaning into unique interdisciplinary collaborations?
Fundraising Goal: $60 Million
Our vision for endowed faculty positions goes beyond traditional expectations of lengthy CVs and researchers who never interact with students. We are seeking excellent teachers, people who will bring an array of experiences to the table to mentor students, collaborate with colleagues and redefine what a rigorous academic approach can look like.
We need investments to help us draw the most talented faculty and support their presence on our campus through endowed funds. And thanks to a generous $30 million donation from our alumnus, Board of Trustees Chair/retired HCA Healthcare Chairman and CEO Milton Johnson and his wife Denice, Belmont is positioned like never before to bring this vision to fruition.
With this landmark gift, the Johnson Academic Challenge matching fund was created. The fund will match donor commitments of $1.5 - $3 million to create up to 20 endowed professorships across Belmont’s academic programs, greatly enhancing student learning and formation.
“BY CREATING THIS MATCHING FUND, WE HOPE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN INNOVATIVE LEADERS OF DEEP CHARACTER FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND INDUSTRIES WHO BRING FORWARD-THINKING PERSPECTIVES TO OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. THESE ENDOWED POSITIONS WILL BE CATALYSTS FOR TRANSFORMATION IN HOW WE PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE.”
– Milton Johnson Chair, Belmont Board of Trustees; Retired Chairman/CEO, HCA Healthcare
Johnson Academic Challenge
GOAL ........ Secure 20 new endowed faculty chairs NEED .................. Each fund requires a minimum $3 million endowment
DONOR GIFT ................................ $1.5 million*
BELMONT MATCH .......................... $1.5 million
*Gift can be made over five years, or $300,000 a year for five years.
558 FULL-TIME FACULTY
5 ENDOWED FACULTY/CHAIRS
“There’s so much Debbie [Belue] would say in class where you think she’s talking about dance, but you walk away later and realize, ‘Oh, that was really good advice for my whole life.’ She’s constantly packing in those little pearls of wisdom. It was such a luxury to have mentors just pouring into us all the time.”
BRIT REESE B.A. IN THEATRE (‘14)
Belmont Formation Collaborative
INTEGRATING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ACROSS CAMPUS
Formed in 2024, the Belmont Formation Collaborative aims to reimagine higher education by creating an integrated ecosystem focused on whole-person formation. The Collaborative will consolidate and enhance existing character development programs while creating new initiatives in three key areas:
• Centralized coordination of formation initiatives within the Teaching Center, Service-Learning and BELL Core general education curriculum
• Partnership with key campus areas including Student Formation, Human Resources and academic colleges
• Creation of new campus-wide programs focused on character, purpose and entrepreneurial mindset that integrate the University’s SOUL framework
“BY BRINGING TOGETHER VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES UNDER ONE COLLABORATIVE, WE’RE CREATING A MORE INTENTIONAL AND INTEGRATED APPROACH TO DEVELOPING STUDENTS WHO ARE BOTH ACADEMICALLY PREPARED AND GROUNDED IN CHARACTER AND PURPOSE.”
– Dr. Nathan Webb Vice President of Whole Person Formation and Leadership Development
A key University priority, the Formation Collaborative offers a number of funding opportunities, including:
ESTABLISHMENT OF CHARACTER AND FORMATION SCHOLARS
ENDOWMENT: This full-tuition scholarship program will be a pipeline for 10 students annually who are committed to their academic efforts while also leaning deeply into integrating their values with their vocation. Creating a Scholars cohort will allow these students to form robust communities to engage in dedicated curricular and co-curricular efforts, community and service.
Fundraising Goal: $30 million
NAMING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COLLABORATIVE
ENDOWMENT: As the hub of character and formation work at Belmont, the Formation Collaborative should be named in honor of a leader who represents the ideals and character traits we want our students to model their lives and careers after. The naming gift would create an endowed fund to be used toward the Collaborative’s ongoing operating budget.
Fundraising Goal: $10 million
FORMATION FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS
ENDOWMENT: Fellowships can provide salary support and course buyouts to allow Belmont’s distinguished faculty to design innovative courses and co-curricular programs related to character and formation.
Fundraising Goal: $10 million
“Dr.
Panvini is the best person I’ve ever met in my entire life, and I hope she knows how much she influences her students. The small class sizes put me in a position to meet so many amazing people and created an incredible support system for me which is so important in college.”
LAUREN YORK ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE MAJOR (‘25)
Athletic Excellence
LEADING THE NATION IN INTEGRITY, CHARACTER AND SERVICE
For decades, Belmont Athletics has represented “Everyday Excellence,” standing as a national example of premier performance in sports, in the classroom and in community engagement. Our student-athletes are champions on the field and court, as well as in their academic pursuits and the way they serve their neighbors, both in Nashville and through mission trips around the globe. Further, our alumni are demonstrating the power of their Belmont experience, taking the “From here to anywhere” mantra seriously by playing leading roles on international teams, in business, in health care and even in the NBA Finals!
Our unique blend of athletic, community and academic excellence, grounded in Christian values, sets Belmont apart. With the Hope Transforms campaign, we envision deepening our investment in our student-athletes, as we seek to elevate every aspect of their experience to ensure Belmont remains a national leader in collegiate athletics. 74 CONFERENCE TITLES #1 IN NCAA D1 FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE Conference Academic Champions 22 OUT OF 24 YEARS
Athletics strategic priorities
Belmont Athletics is more than competition — it’s a community, a calling and a catalyst for transformation. With your support, we can ensure that our student-athletes continue to grow as leaders, scholars and champions.
BRUIN CLUB SUPPORT
CURRENT USE: The Bruin Club is the lifeblood of Belmont Athletics, providing annual support that sustains our programs. With a goal of growing annual contributions from $300,000 to $750,000 by 2030, this support ensures our teams have the resources they need to compete and thrive.
Fundraising Goal: $5 Million
ATHLETICS EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE
CURRENT USE: This initiative supports revenue sharing opportunities for Belmont student-athletes and strategic growth in operations, technology and innovation, ensuring Belmont remains competitive in an evolving collegiate athletics landscape.
Fundraising Goal: $10 Million
ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS
ENDOWMENT: Endowed scholarships provide long-term sustainability and access for deserving student-athletes. This investment ensures Belmont can continue to attract top talent regardless of financial background.
Fundraising Goal: $5 Million
BETTY WISEMAN MISSION FUND
ENDOWMENT: The Betty Wiseman Mission Fund supports life-changing service trips that reflect Belmont’s commitment to global citizenship. Fully endowing this fund will allow future generations of Bruins to serve and grow through international outreach.
Fundraising Goal: $2 Million
PERSONNEL
ENDOWMENT: Endowing key leadership positions — including head coaches and the Athletic Director — ensures stability and excellence in leadership for years to come.
Fundraising Goal: $4.5 Million
SPORT-SPECIFIC PROGRAMS
CURRENT USE: Each of our 13 athletic programs has unique needs. By increasing annual support per program, we can provide enhanced training, travel and resources, equipping every team with the tools needed to succeed.
Fundraising Goal: $50,000 annually per program
CULTIVATING TRANSFORMATIONAL
ILLUMINATING THE GOOD, THE TRUE AND THE BEAUTIFUL WITH PURPOSEFUL IMAGINATION
Finding grounding and peace in a chaotic world has always been difficult, and the need for hope feels more urgent than ever. In the face of constant noise, division and uncertainty, knowledge can be more than power; it can be light... light that cuts through the darkness, helping us make sense of the world and inspiring us to move forward with purpose.
As we nurture, support and guide students, we aim to empower them to see beyond their current reality and build a better, more hopeful world. One they are equipped to help create.
Belmont is a place where education meets imagination.
Creativity and imagination have the power to animate ideas, breathing new life into stagnant concepts, uncovering untapped potential and awakening dormant dreams. At Belmont, even the comfortable four walls of the classroom are reimagined, so students’ passions, talents and networks flourish outside of a box, taking root in the community and in practical, real-world experiences.
By embracing creativity, we are lighting a spark and building resilience in our students who see every challenge as an opportunity and who interpret chaos as fuel to help solve complex problems, paving the way for a better tomorrow.
The CORD Powerhouse
WHERE CHARACTER, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION COLLIDE
Positioned in the heart of campus, the CORD — Powerhouse promises to be a signature space connecting multiple aspects of the Belmont community through the power of character, creativity and innovation. With the CORD standing for the Center to Create Opportunity and Realize Dreams, this four-story, 29,000 square foot student-focused facility will feature distinctive areas for connection and collaboration:
• A performance venue will provide space to showcase student talent — in front of the microphone and behind it
• Dining options will foster conversations and offer space for students to spend time together building community
• Spaces will facilitate creative collaboration — storyboarding, writing, filming, dreaming
• Recording capability throughout the facility demonstrates how Music Row extends into Belmont’s campus, allowing for an “Ocean Way Studios at the CORD” concept
Fundraising Goal: $40 Million
Thanks to a $10 million lead gift from Belmont Trustee, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Hope Transforms Campaign Cordia Harrington and her husband Tom, the CORD – Powerhouse has a head start on the fundraising to support the construction of this dynamic new facility.
“As an entrepreneur, I know that innovation happens when creative minds come together in inspiring spaces,” said Harrington, who is the founder and co-chair of one of the nation’s leading commercial bakery operations, CROWN Bakeries. “The CORD will be that catalyst at Belmont; a place where students can collaborate, create and transform their biggest dreams into reality. This isn’t just about building a facility; it’s about creating an ecosystem where the next generation of leaders from across disciplines can develop the entrepreneurial mindset and innovative spirit needed to make a real difference in our world.”
In the Powerhouse, students can learn together in an incubator and maker space setting that calls forth the best of their imagination to solve problems. A convening space that will stir ideas, it will serve as connective tissue bringing together students from music and entertainment, art, design and more for interdisciplinary, creative endeavors. In fact, we envision this facility to be a place that cultivates all aspects of storytelling — filmmaking, audio, animation, video, AR, VR, AI and more — and to do so via creative approaches that drive transformation.
Powerhouse is where art, design, film, animation and creativity collide — it all starts here.
“THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT BUILDING A FACILITY; IT’S ABOUT CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM WHERE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS FROM ACROSS DISCIPLINES CAN DEVELOP THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET AND INNOVATIVE SPIRIT NEEDED TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN OUR WORLD.”
– Cordia Harrington Founder and Co-Chair, CROWN Bakeries
Curb College on Music Row
BUILDING THE FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT IN THE HEART OF THE INDUSTRY
For more than 50 years, Belmont has led the nation in equipping leaders to thrive at the intersection of creativity, character and commerce. Fueled by its proximity to the heart of Nashville’s entertainment industry, the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business has long been a launchpad for careers in every segment of the music and entertainment space and a go-to for anyone looking to break into music business, audio engineering, songwriting, media and entertainment industries, sport administration, film and TV production, journalism and more — whether in Nashville, New York, L.A. or internationally.
Now, Curb College aims even higher, with plans to expand its presence on Nashville’s legendary Music Row — continuing to build the future of entertainment education right where the industry lives and allowing industry and education to seamlessly collide. Our Music Row renovations and new construction will meaningfully expand our capacity for hands-on learning, provide immersive storytelling and real-world collaboration spaces and serve as a hub where students, alumni and industry leaders connect to shape the future together.
This new home will honor the legacy of Music Row and preserve the rich creative community that has come to define this iconic neighborhood, while simultaneously building a space that will revolutionize entertainment education. Here, students will gain skills, a sense of purpose and the spirit of innovation and creativity to launch careers that both positively impact culture and inspire the world through storytelling.
Fundraising Goal: $100 Million
Fueled by a generous $58 million lead gift from namesake benefactor Mike Curb, the Curb College on Music Row project includes two distinct phases to serve student and industry needs:
PHASE ONE: RENOVATION OF A HISTORIC LANDMARK
(Completed Summer 2025)
In Summer 2025, Belmont completed a major renovation of the former Buddy Lee Attractions/Capitol Records Building, home to our renowned songwriting program. The updated facility adds 17,000 square feet of:
• Dedicated songwriting and listening rooms
• Live sound classrooms and student lounges
• New updated space for Nashville’s Leadership Music offices
This reimagined space strengthens industry ties while enhancing student learning experiences in the heart of Music Row.
PHASE TWO: CURB COLLEGE EXPANSION
(Underway)
The next phase will create a 75,000+ square foot building behind Belmont’s existing Music Row footprint that integrates all facets of the entertainment industry, including:
• A 400+ seat performance venue
• New initiative: The Center for Mental Health in Entertainment
• New initiative: The Center for Live Entertainment
• Coffee shop and café, designed as networking spaces for students and professionals
• Content capture rooms and flexible workspaces
• Underground parking
Together these spaces will empower a reimagination of music and entertainment education, cementing Curb College as the undisputed launchpad of global industry leadership.
“DESIGNED TO EVOLVE ALONGSIDE THE INDUSTRY, THESE SPACES WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM AND TEACHING MODELS THAT KEEP STUDENTS ON THE LEADING EDGE. OUR VISION FOR CURB COLLEGE ON MUSIC ROW WILL HELP BELMONT BECOME THE GLOBAL STANDARD FOR ENTERTAINMENT EDUCATION, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR CAREERS THAT ARE INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND TRANSFORMATIVE.”
— Brittany Schaffer Dean, Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business
Arts Corridor
CREATING VITAL SPACE FOR ARCHITECTURE AND MUSIC TO THRIVE
At Belmont, creativity is cultivated with thoughtfulness and intentionality — recognizing, as Malcolm Gladwell famously observed, that mastery requires more than 10,000 hours of dedicated practice. For our students to reach the excellence they aspire to, we must provide spaces that are both functional and inspiring.
While Belmont is known for its exceptional facilities and beautiful campus, some of our most dynamic programs have outgrown their current spaces. For students in music, architecture and design to truly flourish, they need more studios and rehearsal rooms to invest their 10,000+ hours. Constructing new, state-of-the-art rehearsal and design spaces is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. It sends a clear message to current and future students: their dreams matter, their work is valued and their potential is limitless. By expanding and enhancing these environments, Belmont will empower the next generation of creators.
“THE PROGRAM DOESN’T JUST TEACH YOU HOW TO DESIGN. IT TEACHES YOU WHY WE DESIGN AND WHO WE DESIGN FOR. O’MORE GAVE ME A PLACE TO REIMAGINE MY PATH AND REALLY COMMIT TO SOMETHING THAT FEELS BOTH CHALLENGING AND MEANINGFUL. I’M LEAVING THIS PROGRAM NOT ONLY WITH A PORTFOLIO BUT WITH A PURPOSE.”
— Kim Paige Sullivan Architecture, 2025
THE DESIGN CENTER AT THE LEU CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS
With the graduation of our first class of 22 architects in May 2025, Belmont’s architecture program is experiencing remarkable growth. Prospective students are drawn to our unique blend of design education through a faith-informed lens in the vibrant city of Nashville. As Belmont looks to expand its design-focused majors and launch an innovative digital media and animation program, it’s clear that additional space is essential.
A proposed 60,000-square-foot Design Center addition to the Leu Center for the Visual Arts would provide expanded studio space, maker spaces, an enlarged wood and metal shop and a dedicated art gallery for student, faculty and visiting exhibitions. Beyond mere classrooms, these are launchpads for invention, where ideas take shape and visions become reality.
PERFORMING ARTS PRACTICE SPACES / BUNCH LIBRARY ADDITION
Belmont is home to one of the nation’s premier suites of music performance venues. However, rehearsal rooms are in constant demand, with students booking them nearly around the clock. Given that students spend approximately 85% of their time practicing and only 15% performing, access to high-quality practice spaces is essential to their development.
The parking lot adjacent to the Bunch Library — across from the Massey Performing Arts Center — offers a prime location for a 40,000-squarefoot addition. This new facility would provide acoustically optimized, appropriately scaled rehearsal spaces to support our top-ranked music program. It would serve as an incubator of artistry, where future performers refine their craft and discover their voice.
A VISION FOR THE ARTS & DESIGN CORRIDOR
Together, these proposed additions — alongside the Leu Center, Massey Performing Arts Center, O’More Annex and the academic programs in this area — will transform the northeast side of campus into a vibrant Arts & Design Corridor. This vision doesn’t just reflect Belmont’s longstanding commitment to nurturing imagination and excellence — it secures it for the next generation of creatives.
Hope Labs
A NEW MODEL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, INSPIRED BY DOLLY U
In a bold reimagining of higher education, Belmont University is piloting a new model called Hope Labs, a hands-on, project-based and apprenticeship-driven approach to learning. At the heart of this innovation is “Dolly U,” our groundbreaking partnership with Dolly Parton and CTK Enterprises. What began as a tribute to one of America’s most beloved cultural icons has quickly become a prototype for the future of experiential education.
Launched in summer 2024, Dolly U immerses students in the real-world creative production tied to “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” a Broadway-bound show that premiered at Belmont’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. Students across disciplines — from music and theatre to journalism and marketing — are not just studying Dolly Parton’s legacy; they’re actively helping to shape it. Through courses like Dolly Parton: Icon & Influence, Story-Driven Merchandising and Market Research, students collaborate with industry experts on real-world projects focused on the life and career of a musical legend.
The centerpiece of Dolly U is its Fellowship Program, where students hold jobs embedded with the musical’s production team. From stage management and costume design to sound engineering and directing, these paid apprenticeships offer unparalleled access to the inner workings of a major theatrical production.
FROM DOLLY U TO HOPE LABS
Building on the success of Dolly U, Belmont is expanding this model under the banner of Hope Labs — a University-wide initiative that blends project-based learning with apprenticeship-style education. The goal is to create immersive, interdisciplinary environments where students learn by doing, guided by faculty and industry mentors.
This approach is backed by compelling data. While experiential education has long been heralded for promoting deeper understanding of material in a “learn by doing” method, recent studies also indicate that project-based approaches can foster higher student engagement and self-confidence, improved retention and stronger development of critical thinking and collaboration skills. These outcomes highlight the value of integrating real-world experience into academic pathways.
Hope Labs will expand beyond the arts to include programs in business, health sciences, technology and design. For example, architecture students might co-design community spaces in partnership with local nonprofits, while nursing students could apprentice in innovative telehealth clinics. Each lab will be anchored in a real-world challenge, with students producing tangible outcomes — whether a product, performance, policy or prototype.
A VISION ROOTED IN HOPE
The name “Hope Labs” reflects Belmont’s mission to educate students both for professional success and for lives of purpose and impact. It’s a model that honors the spirit of Dolly Parton herself — creative, entrepreneurial and deeply committed to community.
As Belmont continues to expand Dolly U and launch new Hope Labs across campus, it is positioning itself at the forefront of a national movement to reimagine higher education. In a world that demands adaptability, empathy and creativity, this model offers students a oneof-a-kind educational experience to propel their future.
“TAKING DOLLY PARTON’S PERSONAL STORY AND HELPING BRING IT TO LIFE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY FULFILLING. WORKING IN THIS SETTING AND SEEING THAT I’M PREPARED TO HOLD MY OWN HAS HELPED ME REIMAGINE MY FUTURE.”
— Isaac Bouldin Dolly U Fellow, Musical Theatre major
innovation INSPIRING
EMBRACING OUR ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT TO CATALYZE NEW APPROACHES TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS
Too much of higher education is stuck preparing students for the past — still hesitant to adapt, still relying on outdated systems that can’t keep up with the pace of change. In a world where information moves at the speed of a swipe and today’s trends are tomorrow’s history, that approach won’t work. We can’t rely on yesterday’s answers to solve tomorrow’s challenges.
Belmont embraces a future-positive educational mindset.
While many institutions are preparing for the return of 1995, Belmont is preparing students for 2030, 2040, 2050 and the decades still to come. When we lead with
innovation and embrace an entrepreneurial spirit, we do more than just keep pace: we set the pace. This mindset brings fresh energy to our work, unlocking new ideas and groundbreaking solutions that help us meet the most urgent needs of our time — from health care and public interest to education and beyond.
It’s in this spirit of bold thinking that we discover what’s never been done before and position ourselves as leaders in fields that desperately need transformation. This commitment doesn’t just benefit our campus or community — it resonates with the next generation of students. They’re not just looking for a degree or a job with a paycheck. They’re searching for purpose. They want their work to mean something. And at Belmont, we’re creating a place where meaningful innovation and mission-driven impact go hand in hand.
Belmont Innovation Labs
INVESTING IN A GENERATION OF PURPOSE-DRIVEN INNOVATORS
In a world hungry for meaningful change, Belmont Innovation Labs — launched in 2022 — presents a bold and timely investment proposition: to cultivate and mobilize purpose-driven innovators who can transform society’s greatest challenges into opportunities for human flourishing.
Despite decades of philanthropic and public investment, our communities are still overwhelmed by complex and compounding challenges. Communities grapple with deepening isolation, disconnection and declining trust in institutions. Vulnerable youth suffer, caught in vicious cycles of poverty. Families struggle to access stable livelihoods amid economic disruption. Barriers to employment and entrepreneurship choke off opportunity, while neighborhoods face rising social fragmentation.
These complex challenges demand more than charity — they call for catalytic leadership, cross-sector collaboration, strategic investment and faith-animated imagination.
This is where Belmont University steps in. For the past three years, Belmont Innovation Labs has been answering this call — piloting bold, scalable solutions rooted in rigorous evidence, entrepreneurial action and values-based leadership. Anchored in Belmont’s enduring commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, our focus is to mend broken systems and design a more thriving future.
our distinctive approach
What sets Belmont Innovation Labs apart is our integrated model: a dynamic network that unites world-class social innovation education, problem-solving labs and a regional impact community — all under one roof. We invite our community to COME TOGETHER , LEARN TOGETHER and SOLVE TOGETHER , a winning strategy for genuine transformation in the world.
Where others see fragmentation, we see connection: education fuels innovation, innovation fuels ventures and ventures fuel community transformation.
From local neighborhoods in Nashville to global communities, these ecosystems activate changemakers across generations, equipping both emerging leaders and experienced practitioners to multiply impact. With your partnership, we will position Belmont as a standard-bearer for purpose-driven innovation — amplifying both the scale and the stakes of what’s possible when we lead with courage, collaboration and compassion.
Priority Partnership Opportunities
COME TOGETHER: IMPACT INVESTING ECOSYSTEM FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Goal: Build a regional hub for social impact and innovation that positions Nashville and the midSouth as a national model for good.
Hope Summit
Underwrite Belmont’s marquee annual convening — uniting investors, innovators and institutional leaders to co-create solutions for society’s most pressing needs.
Fundraising Goal: $3 million
Social Innovation Fund
Launch a fund to support purposedriven startups, community enterprises and catalytic initiatives that address systemic leverage points identified through innovation lab projects.
Fundraising Goal: $5 million
LEARN TOGETHER: GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN SOCIAL INNOVATION EDUCATION
Goal: Establish Belmont as a global leader in purpose-driven social innovation education, equipping next generation leaders with the mindsets, skill sets and soul sets to design solutions for their communities.
Social Innovation Fellows Scholarship Fund
Endow a fellowship that attracts and launches high-achieving students into leadership through scholarship, mentorship and global experiential learning.
Fundraising Goal: $10 million
Endowed Professorship in Social Innovation
Fund a faculty leader dedicated to advancing cutting-edge teaching, research and community impact — positioning Belmont as a hub for changemaker formation.
Fundraising Goal: $2 million
SOLVE TOGETHER: TANGIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE WORLD’S GREATEST CHALLENGES
Goal: Become a global leader in designing and deploying collaborative, systemic solutions to urgent human challenges focused on childhoods, livelihoods and neighborhoods.
Social Innovation Lab
Scale our distinctive approach that integrates systems change methodology with personal formation. Early pilots include state-level foster care innovation in Tennessee and global entrepreneurship initiatives with the Templeton Religion Trust.
Fundraising Goal: $5 million
“ALL THE FELLOWS ARE DRIVEN BY A LARGER PURPOSE AND GENUINELY SUPPORT EACH OTHER’S WORK. THE CONNECTIONS I’VE MADE THROUGH THE INNOVATION LABS STAFF HAVE HAD A MAJOR IMPACT ON MY TIME AT BELMONT.”
– Finley White ‘28, Social Innovation Fellow Inaugural Cohort Member
The Invitation
We are at a generational crossroads — where the complexity of our challenges demands institutions bold enough to respond with clarity, creativity and compassion. Belmont University is uniquely positioned for this moment: a Christ-centered institution grounded in purpose, growing in scale, reach and ambition, and relentlessly focused on impact. Through Belmont Innovation Labs, we are igniting a movement of today and tomorrow’s changemakers, who are powered by faith, imagination and the belief that lasting change begins when purpose meets capability.
Now is the time to invest in courageous leaders, catalytic solutions and a university boldly stepping into its role as an epicenter for hope-fueled, innovation-driven change. We invite visionary donors and partners to help scale a dynamic platform for social innovation education and solution development — anchored in a deep commitment to real-world impact across communities, economies and generations.
Belmont Global
FOSTERING INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND CULTURAL CONNECTION
Belmont doesn’t restrict student learning to the classroom, to campus or even to one country. We believe that education is not confined by borders — it’s a bridge to an interconnected global society and the kind of global understanding needed for true transformation. Belmont Global is our bold commitment to this vision: a dynamic network of students, faculty, staff and international partners working together to foster connection across cultures, innovation through different perspectives and service grounded in our Christ-centered mission to see every person as our neighbor.
Through Belmont Global, Belmont is expanding its reach and deepening its impact. We support lifechanging programs like Study Abroad and Missions, while also investing in emerging areas of graduate education, research and social innovation. By uniting all of Belmont’s globally focused offices under one shared mission, we are identifying synergies, scaling our efforts and amplifying our collective voice on the world stage.
Through all of the Belmont Global work, we’re helping Belmont students become compassionate leaders, innovative thinkers and global citizens who serve with purpose and lead with love. From our International Student & Scholar Services working with 36 nationalities across the student body to the 1,000+ students who study abroad each year to our Language Learning Center supporting 500 students annually, Belmont is continuously expanding the number of international students being welcomed to campus along with the global citizens being formed as we send students abroad.
Fundraising Goal: $10 million
agents of hope impacting the world
Moreover, students aren’t just studying overseas — they’re being put into positions to make a tangible difference and fully embrace new cultures. For example, the University’s Global Health Innovation initiative is focused on strengthening nurse and health system capacity globally through research, technology and educational programs. Another example comes from our Global Honors program in which Honors students are required to spend a full semester abroad. These nearly 800 students are traveling all over the world for rich educational experiences that will empower them with the leadership skills they need to make change happen.
With 18 offices across campus dedicated to global engagement, Belmont is exceptionally well-equipped to lead. This work is not just about travel — it’s about equipping our community with the tools, experiences and relationships needed to address the world’s most pressing challenges. It’s about building bridges across cultures, disciplines and continents to create a future where all people and communities can flourish.
Ranked #15 Nationally IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDY ABROAD PARTICIPATION
93 COUNTRIES CURRENTLY ENGAGED
6 CONTINENTS SERVED BY OUR COMMUNITY
18 OFFICES ENGAGED IN GLOBAL WORK
“This global approach enables students interested in global health, scholarship, research and missions to make meaningful connections and contribute to health care improvements around the world.”
DR. SHELBY GARNER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL HEALTH INNOVATION
Our Health Care Ecosystem
MODELING CHRIST-CENTERED, WHOLE-PERSON HEALTH EDUCATION
Belmont University is building a nationally distinctive Health Care Ecosystem — a collaborative, interdisciplinary network of colleges and programs that prepare students to lead with compassion, character and clinical excellence. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the health care capital of the U.S., and with more than 50 years of focused health science education, Belmont is uniquely positioned to leverage its location, values, experience and innovation to shape health care’s future.
At Belmont, we believe health care is more than a profession — it’s a calling. Rooted in Christ-centered values and a commitment to whole-person care, Belmont is building one of the most dynamic and integrated health care education ecosystems in the nation. Our mission is to prepare supremely competent, collaborative and highly skilled professionals who are equipped to lead and serve in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Belmont’s Health Care Ecosystem is not an isolated initiative — it is a University-wide movement. Across four colleges — Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy & Health Sciences and Sciences & Mathematics — we are cultivating a new generation of health leaders who are trained in clinical excellence and in empathy, ethics and innovation. Our students learn in interprofessional teams, engage in cutting-edge research and benefit from immersive simulation experiences that mirror real-world, interdisciplinary team-based care environments.
“IN THE MILITARY WE TALK ABOUT HOW LEADING BY EXAMPLE IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO SHAPE SOMEBODY AND BELMONT DOES THAT SO WELL. EVERY SINGLE PROFESSOR POURED INTO ME IN SUCH A SIGNIFICANT WAY THAT I WANTED TO DO THAT FOR THE PEOPLE IN MY CARE, TOO.”
— Witt Trantum
Nursing, 2024, Army Nursing Corp
the health care capital a strategic advantage
This holistic approach is made possible by our location in Nashville, Tennessee — a city globally recognized as an innovative health care hub. Belmont’s home city offers unparalleled access to the industry’s top leaders and the think tanks shaping tomorrow as well as ample opportunities for educational partnerships and clinical training opportunities:
• $67 billion annual economic impact from the health care industry
• 362,000+ health care-related jobs (direct and indirect)
• 18 publicly traded health care companies headquartered in the region
• Over 400 professional service firms supporting the health care sector
• More than 50% of U.S. for-profit hospital beds managed from Nashville
• $1.6 billion in venture capital invested in Nashville health care companies over the past decade
These statistics represent a thriving ecosystem that Belmont is deeply embedded in and positioned to influence.
Why Your Investment Matters
The U.S. health care system is at a pivotal crossroads, facing mounting challenges that demand innovative, interdisciplinary leadership. Escalating costs, workforce shortages, policy changes and disparities in access to care are straining the system, while rapid technological advancements and evolving patient expectations require agile, forward-thinking professionals. Belmont can play a vital role in shaping the next generation of health care leaders — those who can navigate complex policy landscapes, harness data and digital tools and champion patient-centered, teambased care. Strategic donor investment ensures that future clinicians, administrators, researchers and public health experts are equipped to respond to today’s crises and to lead transformative change for tomorrow. Your support will:
• Eliminate financial barriers for students through scholarships
• Attract and retain world-class faculty through endowed chairs
• Advance research and innovation in areas like rural health, mental health and health systems science
• Enhance state-of-the-art facilities for simulation, collaboration and discovery
The Belmont Health Care Ecosystem spreads across colleges and programs. While ample opportunities exist to invest in specific fields, read on to learn more about three distinctive interdisciplinary efforts Belmont offers.
Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors
“WE ARE SHAPING FUTURE HEALTH CARE LEADERS WHO THRIVE IN COMPLEXITY, LEAD WITH COMPASSION AND SERVE WITH PURPOSE.”
– Greg Jones Belmont President
Visitors Corp.
Interdisciplinary Initiatives
INNOVATING ACROSS PROGRAMS TO ADVANCE HEALTH CARE IMPACT
Center for Interprofessional Engagement and Simulation
At the heart of campus innovation, the 60,000-square-foot Center for Interprofessional Engagement and Simulation stands as a transformative space where future health care leaders come to life. Designed with advanced simulation technology and immersive learning environments, the Center empowers students from every discipline — medicine, nursing, physical and occupational
therapy, pharmacy, counseling, social work and beyond — to train side by side. Here, collaboration isn’t just encouraged — it’s embedded into every experience. By mirroring the complexity and teamwork of real-world health care, the Center cultivates a new generation of professionals ready to lead with empathy, precision and purpose.
Fundraising Goal: $5 million
Belmont Collaborative for Health Systems Innovation
Imagine a future where health care is not only smarter, but more human — where every decision is guided by data, every process shaped by empathy and every outcome measured by the value it brings to patients and the planet. At the Belmont Collaborative for Health Systems Innovation, we are building that future in partnership with the University’s Health Care Ecosystem. Through bold research, transformative education and powerful
partnerships, we are reimagining how care is delivered, experienced and sustained. From advancing planetary and human health to revolutionizing the business of care, our work empowers professionals and patients alike. With support, we can unlock the full potential of technology, optimize care environments and lead the evolution of health care systems — creating lasting impact for generations to come.
Fundraising Goal: $10 million
Center for Mental Health in Entertainment
The Center for Mental Health in Entertainment is a groundbreaking initiative born from Belmont University’s deep roots in the entertainment industry and its unwavering commitment to community well-being. Through collaboration between the Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business and the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences’s Mental Health Counseling program, the Center will serve as a vital hub for research, resources and education tailored to the unique mental health challenges faced by creatives and
professionals in music, film, television, sports and media. By uniting experts, students and industry leaders, the Center will foster a culture of care — offering trusted support, generating transformative insights and preparing future generations toward resiliency and wellness in various entertainment industries. This is a movement to ensure that those who shape culture are themselves supported, seen and empowered to thrive.
Fundraising Goal: $8 million
SEEING HOW HOPE TRANSFORMS AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL
Our Colleges
The fundable initiatives reflected throughout this Case for Support represent major priorities for Belmont holistically as well as projects that have already garnered momentum. However, there are many more opportunities for supporting the University, its 12 colleges and the variety of centers, collaboratives, projects, events and initiatives of the future. Outlined in the next few pages are additional details around the mission, vision and plans for Belmont’s 12 colleges. Please reach out to our Advancement team at hopetransforms@belmont.edu for more information on any of these Colleges or to learn more about the campaign goals for other units on campus.
Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business
For 50+ years, we have been developing diverse leaders of purpose and character in the entertainment industry who are shaping our culture for the better. Already a nationally recognized leader as an entertainment industry launching pad, Curb College’s vision is “To be the premier institution for entertainment education, recognized globally for preparing leaders of character to innovate, excel and thrive across music, film & TV, publishing, sports and media.”
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Curb College on Music Row Expansion Project, including Center for Mental Health in Entertainment and Center for Live Entertainment: $40 million
• Student Scholarships
• Endowed Chairs: $4.5 million
Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing
Located in the health care capital of the country, Belmont Nursing has been educating nurses for more than 53 years. Belmont nurses are more than caregivers; they are leaders, innovators and changemakers — a result of Belmont’s tradition of interweaving a culture of compassion with strong academic preparation. We aspire to become a global leader in nursing education through four strategic pillars: Grow Enrollment & Develop Pathways, Foster Academic Excellence, Cultivate Wellbeing and Enhance Impact & Visibility.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• The Center for Nursing Innovation: $10 million
• Undergraduate and Graduate Student Scholarships
• Endowed Chairs: $7.5 million
O’More College of Architecture & Design
O’More College of Architecture & Design prepares students to confidently enter their chosen industry while nurturing their ability to discern and articulate a personal vision of deep meaning and purpose. In short, O’More teaches students to design for good through collaborative projects that expand their empathy, amplify their mission and enhance the beauty of the world we share.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Student Scholarships
• Endowed Chairs: $3 million
• Entrepreneurship Programming: $3 million
Jack C. Massey College of Business
The Massey College of Business is a faith-based, student-centered and entrepreneurial learning community that believes in the power of education to transform individuals, organizations, communities and, ultimately, the world. With its origins dating back to 1972, the College is named for, supported by and inspired by the legacy of Jack C. Massey, the first entrepreneur to take three separate businesses public.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Student Scholarships
• Endowed Chairs: $3 million
• Entrepreneurship Programming: $10 million
Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine
As the newest medical school in Nashville, the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine’s mission is simple yet profound: to educate and mentor physician leaders who embrace a whole person approach to healing in a community of service learning. We are driven by three guiding principles: Christ-centered values, a commitment to unwavering hospitality extended to all and a fierce dedication to the work of medicine.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Student Scholarships
• Rural Physician Initiative: $5 million
• Research Enterprise: $5 million
College of Education
The mission of Belmont University’s College of Education is to “teach brilliantly, innovate boldly, advocate passionately and serve faithfully and to grow teachers and leaders who embody these ideals.” Those aspirations drive COE’s goals to prepare educational leaders of character across pre-K, elementary, secondary and higher ed realms, with special emphasis on K-12 STEM teachers and an innovative principal preparation leadership program.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Student Scholarships
• STEM Education Initiative: $10 million
• Educational Leadership Initiative: $5 million
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
At Belmont’s College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, students engage in self-discovery and exploration as they are equipped to become thoughtful, globally minded leaders who are ready to make a meaningful impact. With 22 undergraduate majors, three graduate programs and a vibrant academic community, students engage in a variety of intellectual pursuits led by nationally recognized faculty dedicated to teaching and mentorship. Here students enjoy unparalleled opportunities for connection — with peers, professors, employers and the world.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Scholarships & Program Support
• Signature Interdisciplinary Initiatives: $5 million
• Endowed Faculty Positions: $3 million
College of Law
Belmont Law is shaping principled leaders who are prepared to serve with excellence in every corner of the legal profession. Rooted in the Christian tradition, our mission goes beyond legal education — we instill a deep sense of ethics, purpose and service in every student. Through an innovative curriculum that blends rigorous legal theory with real-world experience, personal mentorship from practicing attorneys and a commitment to community impact, we graduate practice-ready professionals who are equipped to lead with integrity.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Legal Programs and Centers: $3 million
• Student Services, Leadership and Mentorship: $3 million
• Student Wellness and Support: $2 million
• Faculty Support: $6 million
• Student Teams Travel Fund: $1 million
College of Music & Performing Arts
The College of Music & Performing Arts is a thriving center of creativity where over 900 students pursue their passions in music, theatre and dance. With nationally recognized programs, world-class venues and a faculty of accomplished artists and educators, CMPA offers an unparalleled environment for artistic and personal growth. We prepare students not only to succeed professionally but to enrich the world through their art.
FUNDING PRIORITIES:
• Student Scholarships
• Endowment for Summer Research Program: $5 million
• Endowed Chairs: $3 million
• Bunch Library Space Expansion: TBD
College of Sciences & Mathematics
Relational, experiential and innovative education blend in perfect harmony in the College of Sciences & Mathematics, where students discover immersive research opportunities, supportive and engaged professors and state-of-the-art lab facilities.
Committed to involving undergraduates in hands-on, practical research, CSM graduates career-ready, creative problem solvers for in-demand STEM-related careers.
FUNDING PRIORITIES:
• STEM Student Scholarships
• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships: $4 million
• Endowed Faculty Chairs: $3.5 million
Watkins College of Art
Watkins College of Art represents a thriving creative community where artists and designers are empowered to think critically, create boldly and lead with purpose. Since joining Belmont in 2020, Watkins has doubled in size and continues to gain national recognition for the quality and impact of its programs in art, design, illustration and photography. Through community-based projects, public master classes and accessible arts education for all ages, Watkins is deeply committed to enriching both the campus and the broader community.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Artist/Designer in Residence Endowed Fund: $1.5 million
• Student Opportunity Fund: $3 million
• Programmatic Support: $5 million
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Belmont’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences is shaping the future of health care through a Christ-centered, interdisciplinary education that equips students to lead with skill and compassion. Our graduates consistently exceed national certification standards, thanks to immersive, real-world training and access to premier clinical partnerships across a diverse array of fields: pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, mental health counseling, social work, public health and exercise science.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Student Scholarships
• Center for Abundance, Resilience, Excellence & Spirituality (CARES): $5 million
• Endowed Chairs: $5 million
partnering FOR TRANSFORMATION
WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE OF CHRIST-CENTERED EDUCATION
Led by outstanding co-chairs who have long supported Belmont University, the Hope Transforms National Campaign Committee represents alumni and parents, donors and trustees, partners and friends, all of whom have been captivated by who Belmont is today and inspired by the vision of what the future of this institution holds. We are so grateful to these leaders and volunteers for supporting the Hope Transforms campaign and galvanizing our fundraising work with their networks.
“Having witnessed firsthand the transformative power of a Belmont education through my family’s experience, I know this University has a remarkable ability to turn students’ potential into purpose. I am honored to co-chair the Hope Transforms campaign that will ensure that countless future students have access to the exceptional opportunities and resources that help them discover not just what they can achieve, but who they’re meant to become.”
CORDIA HARRINGTON FOUNDER AND CO-CHAIR, CROWN BAKERIES
Cordia Harrington
CORDIA HARRINGTON HAS SERVED ON BELMONT’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES SINCE 2008 AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS CO-VICE CHAIR.
Known affectionately as “The Bun Lady,” Harrington is the founder and co-chair of CROWN Bakeries, a Nashville-based enterprise that has grown into one of the nation’s leading commercial bakery operations. Beyond serving as an outstanding role model of the innovative, entrepreneurial spirit Belmont seeks to embed in all its graduates, Harrington and her husband Tom are personally invested in the University as two of their children are Belmont graduates.
Transformational philanthropists and University champions, the Harringtons have made extraordinary investments in Belmont’s future, including the naming gift for Harrington Place Dining — a 950-seat cafeteria in the Johnson Center — in 2016. Most recently, they made a $10 million lead gift to establish The CORD — Powerhouse, a to-be-built, four-story, 29,000-squarefoot center dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation that will serve as a gathering place for students to create opportunities and realize their dreams.
Starting with just $587 to launch her first business venture in real estate, Harrington built a remarkable career that included owning McDonald’s franchises before founding Tennessee Bun Company, now CROWN Bakeries, in 1996. Today, the bakery employs more than
1,800 people across multiple facilities, serving customers in the U.S., South America and the Caribbean.
Harrington was the recipient of the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year® 2015 award in the Southeast Program for the Manufacturing & Distribution category and Lifetime Achievement Award as Most Admired CEO 2016. She was named Nashville Post’s 2020 CEO of the Year and was inducted into the American Society of Baking Hall of Fame. A graduate of the University of Arkansas, Harrington received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from her alma mater in 2020.
Harrington’s dedication to Belmont and its students extends beyond her major gifts. She serves on the Board of Trustees Executive Committee and has established scholarship endowments, including “The Bun Lady Scholarship,” for entrepreneurship students participating in Belmont’s study abroad programs, and the “Harrington Scholarship for International Studies and Student Missions.” She is a frequent guest speaker in business classes, sharing her entrepreneurial expertise with students.
Cordia and Tom have five children and 11 grandchildren, with four of the families living in Middle Tennessee.
Marty Dickens
MARTY DICKENS SERVED AS CHAIRMAN OF BELMONT’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR 17 YEARS, HELPING GOVERN THE UNIVERSITY DURING TIMES OF ASTOUNDING GROWTH AND EXPANSION.
With his leadership guidance, Belmont launched new graduate schools in pharmacy, law and medicine; merged with local institutions O’More and Watkins; saw significant increases in the campus’ enrollment, facilities and endowment; and hosted two presidential debates, among other accolades. Yet, his greatest joy came from seeing students’ transformation thanks to their Belmont experience.
Dickens’ impact on Belmont is evident throughout campus, with Dickens Hall — a 297-bed residence hall offering views of the Nashville skyline — named in his honor, along with Dickens Plaza at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, which commemorates his and his wife Betty’s contributions to the University. At the spring 2021 commencement ceremony, both Marty and Betty received honorary doctorates — the University’s highest honor — for “their devotion and service to the betterment” of the University. The Marty Dickens Scholarship Endowment for Worship Leadership was also established with a generous gift to support aspiring church worship leaders.
Dickens served as president of BellSouth — later AT&T-Tennessee — until his retirement in 2007, following a nearly four-decade career with the company. His executive experience included serving as executive vice president of BellSouth International,
overseeing the management and growth of BellSouth foreign operations across Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Denmark, Belgium, Israel, China and New Zealand. A native of North Carolina with degrees from East Carolina University and Georgia State University, he was honored as Outstanding Nashvillian of the Year in 2013 and was inducted into the Junior Achievement Nashville Business Hall of Fame in 2016.
Dickens has served on numerous boards throughout his career, including Genesco, Pinnacle Bank and Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. He is past chairman of the board of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee, Lee Company and Harpeth Companies and is a founding member of Avenue Bank. His civic involvement includes past chairman roles with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Nashville Convention Center Authority, along with board service on the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Symphony, Adventure Science Center, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Arts and Business Council, PENCIL and the Baptist/St. Thomas Hospital Foundation Board, among other Middle Tennessee organizations.
Marty and his wife Betty have two sons, John and Jamey. John and his wife Sherri live in Atlanta with their two children, as do Jamey and his wife Sara with their four children.
“I’ve had the privilege of seeing the profound impact this University has on every student who walks through its doors, and that impact is what drives Betty and my unwavering commitment to Belmont. The Hope Transforms campaign represents our most ambitious opportunity yet to ensure that Belmont continues to provide the exceptional education that prepares graduates to change lives and transform communities.”
MARTY DICKENS RETIRED PRESIDENT OF BELLSOUTH
The Hope Transforms National Campaign Committee
Consisting of alumni, parents, donors and friends of the University, the Hope Transforms National Campaign Committee includes Belmont fans from across the country and representatives from a variety of industries and career paths. Each and every individual shares a belief in the power of education to transform lives and has been impacted in one way or another by Belmont University. These are all Bruins for Life, and we’re so grateful for their commitment to this campaign.
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL
Campaign Co-Chairs
Cordia Harrington, Belmont Board of Trustees co-Vice Chair
Board of Trustees
Alfonzo Alexander
James Archer
Janet Ayers
Lee Beaman
Chris Bollinger
Leilani Boulware
Andrea Waitt Carlton
Michael Cuffe
Jim Darter
John Faison
Joe Galante
Rusty Gaston
Ray Guzman
Cordia Harrington
Milton Johnson, Chair
Jamie Jones
Winston Justice
Jeremy Kees
Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten
Burke Nihill
Emily Reynolds
Ronald Roberts
ADVISORY AND UNIVERSITY BOARDS
College Boards
Belmont Education Advisory Roundtable
Belmont Nursing Advisory Board
Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business Advisory Board
College of Law Advisory Board
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Advisory Board
Marty Dickens, Belmont Board of Trustees, Trustee Emeritus
Barbara Massey Rogers
Anne Russell
Clay Stauffer
Anna Thornton
Sarah Trahern
Louis Upkins
Angela Webb
Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Regents
Evie Grace Fowler
Keidron Turner
College of Pharmacy & Health
Sciences Advisory Board
College of Sciences & Mathematics Advisory Board
Friends of the Arts at Belmont
(College of Music & Performing Arts)
Jack C. Massey College of Business Advisory Board
O’More College of Architecture & Design Advisory Board
Trustee Emeriti
Randall Baskin
Jack Benz
Mike Curb
Marty Dickens
Gordon Inman
Ron Knox, Jr.
Drew Maddux
Carolyn Patton
Larry Thrailkill
George A. West, III
Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine Advisory Board
Watkins College of Art Advisory Board
University Boards
Alumni Advisory Board
Health Forward Advisory Council
President’s Advisory Council
Parent Executive Board
ALUMNI CHAMPIONS Regional volunteers turning belonging into action
LIVING THE DREAM
together
IMAGINING A DYNAMIC FUTURE, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HOPE TRANSFORMS CAMPAIGN
imagine…
THE YEAR IS 2050.
Belmont University is recognized as the world’s leading Christ-centered university, one that has stretched the imagination of what “college” is. Belmont is a university known as much for the Character, Creativity and Innovation it inspires as it is for its graduates, and its graduates are legendary…
Grammy, Oscar, Tony, Emmy and Pulitzer-Prize winning artists, musicians, producers and writers who create excellent, redemptive work…
Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and health care specialists who are leading a renewed emphasis on patient-centric care…
Internationally recognized entrepreneurs and thought leaders who credit Belmont as the launchpad for their innovative ideas…
The nation’s Chief Justice who recalls the Belmont Law class that changed the course of her life…
Bruin architects, historians, app developers, visual artists, teachers, pastors, scientists, counselors and more, all setting new standards of excellence in their fields…
REIMAGINING HIGHER EDUCATION
To accomplish this audacious vision, we must lean into the best of our history while also moving boldly forward to create a new and pioneering model. With higher education facing myriad challenges — from increased competition and the demographic cliff to potential changes to funding and value misperceptions — we must respond. Ever nimble and with a lengthy history focused on practice, Belmont occupies a unique position to reimagine higher education and what a university can be. We need to redefine education in a much broader sense… offering opportunities for flourishing to students of all ages, from all locations, in a variety of formats and in service to communities near and far.
“AT BELMONT, WE BELIEVE THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION MUST BE RADICALLY REIMAGINED: INFUSED WITH PURPOSE, DRIVEN BY HOLISTIC EDUCATION AND ANCHORED IN TRANSFORMATIVE HOPE. BY 2050, BELMONT WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS THE LEADING CHRIST-CENTERED UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD, SETTING THE EXAMPLE OF HOW TO EQUIP STUDENTS WITH THE CHARACTER, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION NEEDED TO HELP PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND COMMUNITIES FLOURISH.”
— Greg Jones Belmont President
2050-
