The Curb Center welcomes five new Curb Scholars

The Curb Scholars program at The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy is taking on five new undergraduate students this semester. This program, inspired by the life and career of songwriter and entertainment figure Mike Curb, rewards students working in a variety of artistic spaces.

Scholars come together weekly for artmaking, community building and meeting practicing artists and thinkers from around Nashville throughout the semester. In these meetings, Curb Scholars have observed the moon at the Dyer Observatory, spoken with Parthenon curator Bonnie Seymour, visited the dragons of Fannie Mae Dees Park with Anne Roos, learned about the important work being done at Casa Azafrán and enjoyed a private performance from Africa Nashville.

Each year, the Curb Scholar experience culminates in an end-of-the-year exhibition of their art, all connected by a central theme. Last year's theme was "Windows and Mirrors," an exploration of how art mirrors and changes our perspective. This year, the Curb Scholars will explore the Curb Center-wide theme of "Rememory" as Toni Morrison defines it in her novel Beloved:

"Some things go. Pass on. Some things just stay. I used to think it was my rememory. You know. Some things you forget. Other things you never do. But it's not. Places, places are still there. If a house burns down, it's gone, but the place-the picture of it-stays, and not just in my rememory, but out there, in the world."

The Curb Scholars will also partner with Our Place, an organization that gives people with developmental disabilities opportunities to live independently in a community of able and disabled residents. The scholars will help Our Place residents make art as part of their weekly life-skill classes.

Five students, four incoming first-year students and one rising sophomore, will join the cohort in exploring this new theme. They were chosen for their commitment to their artistic practice and their engagement with their communities.

Meet the new Curb Scholars

• Stephen Hill is a vocalist who specializes in songwriting and classical singing. As a Curb Scholar, he hopes to undertake projects in songwriting with classical voice techniques to help connect people within the Vanderbilt and Nashville community.
• Angel Akpovi is a first-year student at Vanderbilt University College of Arts and Sciences, where she explores the connections of storytelling, film and meaningful change. Her creative work includes poetry, fiction and directing short films and plays. Inspired by the words of Langston Hughes and the storytelling in Ava DuVernay's When They See Us, Akpovi brings a thoughtful and emotionally honest voice to her work. She received the Inspirational Youth Award in the Culture and Arts category in 2023. She has completed the Khadija Saye Arts Internship and a competitive summer internship at United Agents, a leading UK talent and literary agency that represents prominent creatives in film, television, theater and publishing. Akpovi has performed her original spoken word pieces at national events, including the Fair Education Alliance Summit, and has written and directed films exploring social issues that affect young people. She is active in youth leadership and has served on the Nottinghamshire Youth Literacy Board and the Nottinghamshire Youth Crime Commission.
• Jenna Ng is attending Vanderbilt as a double major in piano performance and political science. Her Curb artistic practice is music, and she plays the piano to connect with others of diverse backgrounds. Ng also enjoys reading, working out, coaching gymnastics and traveling to explore new places.
• Brianna Dahle is a premedical student pursuing a theatre major and an anthropology minor. She has a deep passion for all aspects of theater ranging from acting, to directing, as well as writing and production. She dedicates herself to interdisciplinary study, and she is drawn to productions that blur the lines between disciplines. Through the Curb Scholar program, she hopes to continue to explore this concept, pushing the bounds of traditional theatrics.
• Olubiyi Fabusoye is a passionate musician and advocate for the arts. From directing choirs to creating original music, he has dedicated himself to using his talents to inspire and lead others. As a human and organizational development major with a planned minor in business, Fabusoye seeks to merge his love for the arts with his interest in strategy and leadership to create platforms that empower artists and foster meaningful impact.

The Curb Center is thrilled to support these talented students in their artistic endeavors. More information about the current Curb Scholars is on the program's website.