The Long Way to Music City: Attollo Scholars Road Trip to Nashville
Exposure changes what a student believes is possible. A scholar who has never set foot on a campus outside their hometown, never walked through a city they didn't grow up in, carries a smaller sense of what's available to them. It's not a lack of ambition. It's a lack of reference points. Attollo's college tours exist to build those reference points: put students in front of schools they might not have considered, in cities many of them have never seen, and let them build their college list from firsthand experience instead of a brochure. This summer, that meant 23 scholars trading Lancaster for five days on the road to Nashville, through Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio.
Day 1: James Madison, UVA, and the Long Drive South
The trip began with breakfast on the bus and a morning at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, for a tour and a stop at the bookstore. From there, the group continued to Charlottesville for a tour of the University of Virginia, before a dinner stop in Roanoke and a late drive into Knoxville, Tennessee, for the night.
Day 2: University of Tennessee, Buc-ee's, and Nashville's broadway
Tuesday morning started with a tour of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a stop at the bookstore, before the group hit the road again, with a lunch stop in Crossville at Buc-ee's, the sprawling Texas-born travel stop that's become a road trip institution of its own. By late afternoon, the group had reached Nashville, checking into their hotel before dinner at Hattie B's Hot Chicken, the restaurant that helped put Nashville hot chicken on the map nationally.
Broadway
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Broadway ✦
The night wrapped with a walk down Broadway, the strip of honky-tonks and live music venues that's become the heartbeat of downtown Nashville.
Day 3: Vanderbilt, Rock nashville, Nissan Stadium, and a Playground Before Dinner
Wednesday started with a walk around Vanderbilt University's campus, a tour, and a stop at the bookstore.
From there, the group had a private tour of Rock Nashville, a brand new live event production campus similar to the one back home in Lititz, before heading to Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans, sitting right along the Cumberland River in the heart of downtown.
Before getting ready for dinner, scholars burned off some energy at Play Playground, an entertainment venue on 2nd Avenue with more than twenty larger-than-life games and a rooftop overlooking the skyline.
Professional Development Dinner
That evening, scholars suited up for the trip's Professional Development Dinner at Black Tap, connecting with professionals across industries over dinner in downtown Nashville.
Day 4: University of Louisville and TopGolf in Columbus
Thursday began with an early departure for Louisville, Kentucky, where scholars toured the University of Louisville, had lunch on campus, sat in on an info session, and joined a panel with current admissions ambassadors, students not far removed from the scholars' own seats, answering questions about what campus life actually looks like.
TopGolf
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TopGolf ✦
By evening, the group had reached Columbus, Ohio, trading campus tours for a night at TopGolf!
Day 5: Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and the Road Home
Friday morning brought a tour of Ohio State University, before the group pointed the bus toward Pittsburgh for a final stop at the University of Pittsburgh, the trip's seventh and last campus.
Dinner came from El Jefe's, eaten on the bus during the final stretch home, wrapping five days that took 23 scholars through five states and seven campuses, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Music Row to the banks of the Ohio.
See even more photos from our tours on our Instagram!
About Attollo:
Attollo is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth through education. By providing mentorship, academic enrichment, and college preparation support, Attollo aims to level the playing field and equip students with the tools they need to succeed in college and beyond. Since its inception, Attollo has helped thousands of students realize their potential and achieve their academic goals.
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