University You at Belmont University
Summer 2025
A two-week, on-campus opportunity to picture yourself in college!
Through an innovative partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools, Belmont University is providing a group of local high school students with a life-changing college immersion experience called "University You." The program, which launched in 2021, invites approximately forty MNPS juniors and seniors to spend two weeks living and learning on Belmont's campus each summer.
During the two-week experience, the high schoolers live in Belmont's residence halls and take dual enrollment courses from top Belmont professors. In addition to academics, the program focuses on personal development, reflection and character formation. Dr. Mary Ellen Pethel, associate director of Global Honors who helps lead the University You program, described how it has evolved from its initial vision into a transformative two-year pathway.
"University You began as a visionary partnership with MNPS designed to bring high school students to Belmont to take a college class. But it's evolved into a life-changing, two-year pathway program," Dr. Pethel said. 
Many of the University You participants are in the academic middle and are first-generation students for whom attending a four-year college may have previously seemed out of reach. Dr. McIntyre emphasized how powerful it is to see their perspectives evolve.
"This University You program enables a group of young people to really envision a different future for themselves, a brighter future and a future that's filled with greater opportunities and possibilities," he said. "It's just an incredible opportunity to create a brighter future for a group of students. And that is very much aligned to our mission at Belmont University."
Each of the twelve zoned high schools nominate two students for a total of 24 students per cohort.
This program focuses on rising juniors and seniors in the academic middle who are first generation college students and need support to envision themselves attending college.
Mary Ellen Pethel, Program Director, Assistant Professor of Global Leadership Studies
Michael Oliver, Program Director, Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences
Emmanuel Saka, Assistant Professor of Experiential Graphic Design
Rudy Bedeley, Assistant Professor of Business Systems, Analytics and Data Science
Heather Finch, Assistant Professor of English
Devin DeLaughter, Assistant Professor of Education
Tish Brown Gaines, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Joe Fitzgerald, Assistant Professor of Education and Adult Degree
Carolyn Spellings, Assistant Director, Global Honors
Each block session will be led by Belmont faculty members with a variety of topics and content related to course curriculum.
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 9:00-10:30 | Block A | Block A | Block A | Block A | Block A |
| 10:30-10:40 | Break | Break | Break | Break | Break |
| 10:40-12:10 | Block B | Block B | Block B | Block B | Block B |
| 12:10-1:10 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 1:15-3:00 | Block C | Block C | Block C | Block C | Block C |
There is no cost to the student. This is a MNPS and Belmont University project. Students are nominated by their high schools.
The program creates an opportunity to achieve at least six hours of university level credit and experience the academic expectations associated with university level work. It is designed to assist and help prepare them in achieving academic success when they enter university life after graduating from high school.
Application information
Jihan Strange, Assistant Director of Admissions
jihan.strange@belmont.edu
or Sanjana Ballal, Director of Partnerships for Postsecondary Readiness
sanjana.ballal-link@mnps.org