The Mike Curb Program in Creative Enterprise and Public Leadership



The Mike Curb Program in Creative Enterprise and Public LeadershipAt the core of Vanderbilt’s Creative Campus initiative is the Mike Curb Creative Enterprise and Public Leadership program, which includes the Undergraduate Leadership Scholar Program and a Fifth-year Master’s Degree. Vanderbilt University will provide its students with the broad perspective and unique skills to navigate an increasingly complex set of factors that shape American culture in the 21st century: interdependent global markets and cultures; media consolidation; emerging technologies; labyrinthine intellectual property rules; and changing demographics.

Modeled after the life of Mike Curb – philanthropist, founder of Curb Records, and former Lieutenant Governor of California -- the program emphasize fluency across private and public sectors, commitment to public service, and a critical approach to decisions affecting the nation’s creative and cultural life – from museums to the music industry; from Hollywood to the 9th Ward; and from arts and crafts to interactive media.

Based on a deep respect for the value of both academic and experiential learning, the Curb scholar and degree programs include courses, seminars and workshops led by top scholars, artists and executives, coupled with internships and projects that provide first-hand experiences with a variety of creative enterprises.

The Mike Curb Creative Campus program, administered by the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy, is the first of its kind in the nation.  With talented scholars and teachers, creative and entrepreneurial students, and innovative programs, Vanderbilt University aims to be a laboratory for new ideas and approaches to securing the vitality of America’s culture life.