The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy has selected three incoming first-year students and two rising sophomore students for the Curb Scholars Program in Creative Enterprise and Public Leadership. Directed by Leah Lowe with Associate Director Molly Barth, the Curb Center is an interdisciplinary arts center that works to elevate the arts as a form of inquiry, a mode of investigation and a celebration of the human spirit at Vanderbilt and beyond.
The Curb Scholars Program, founded in 2003, is a selective undergraduate scholarship for students committed to combining diverse perspectives with arts-focused community engagement. Inspired by the career of Mike Curb—philanthropist, founder of Curb Records and former lieutenant governor of California—Curb Scholars are selected based on commitment to creativity in the arts, a community-oriented mindset and leadership potential.
The theme of the Curb Scholars for 2024–25 is “Windows and Mirrors,” a concept developed by multicultural education scholar Rudine Sims Bishop that describes how works of art have the capacity to reflect one’s own experiences and offer a portal into the experiences of others. To investigate this theme, Curb Scholars will work with local and visiting artists and scholars, visit artistic and cultural centers such as Casa Azafrán and the Nashville Parthenon, and further develop their own artistic practices, focusing on understanding the diverse ways of navigating unique life paths while using art as a mode of expression.
Meet the incoming Curb Scholars
Kaitlynn Brice plans to use her passion for architecture to establish a firm that specifically supports youth of color and women entering the architecture field, with the goal of promoting diversity.
Anissa Ibrahim is a composer and violist devoted to the intersection of music composition and performance. As a Sierra Leonean American, she frequently explores the rhythmic and harmonic intersection of Western and African traditions, immigrant identity and experience, and narratives that bring together the individual and the collective. She is committed to creating equitable access to music education for all students.
Annabel Long loves to write, whether that be novels she hopes to publish one day or plays for schools and community theaters to perform. She believes that sharing stories is key to people understanding one another.
Yoshiya Yano practices ink drawings, photography and playing the bass and guitar. Yoshi hopes to become a teacher or photographer who can share his love for art and inspire others through his work.
Annie Zhang’s passion for poetry extends beyond the page, guiding her to approach every part of her life from a creative angle.
View the complete list of Curb Scholars. For more information about the Curb Scholars, visit the Curb Center website or contact Molly Barth.
