There’s no shortage of success stories in Nashville, and many of those stories belong to the incredible women who are paving their own path and opening doors for generations to come.
Whether they’re building an idea from the ground up, crunching numbers, or working to make a difference in the lives of others, these are the trailblazing women of Music City — and their stories are sure to inspire you.
Beverly Keel Dean, MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment; Co-founder of Change the Conversation and Nashville Music Equality
DAY IN THE LIFE
I am the chief academic officer of the College of Media and Entertainment, which has about 2,400 students. No two days are alike! Of course, providing opportunities and meeting the needs of our students is Job One, so I am busy fundraising, meeting with industry leaders, and forming partnerships with companies. My job is to support students, faculty, and staff, so I try to provide the resources they need to do the best job possible. I have been described as the “warm and fuzzy” dean, so we constantly have events and programs to help our students’ and employees’ mental health, such as bringing therapy animals to our building and giving away free popcorn and candy. Deans are always portrayed as the bad guys in movies, so I do everything I can to make students feel that they can drop by my office anytime.
STEPS TAKEN
I began as a reporter at the Nashville Banner, where my father worked until his death when I was in high school, so I am a proud nepo baby. I worked there throughout college. Nashville Banner Publisher Irby Simpkins generously offered a full scholarship for me to earn a master’s from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. After graduation, I returned to the Banner, where I became a business reporter. I also began teaching journalism classes at MTSU, my alma mater, as an adjunct at age 24. After two years, I began focusing on the music industry because it was booming, and that is how I got involved in the music business. I left the Banner to work in publicity for the ill-fated Polydor Records. I joined MTSU full time in 1995. During the last 30 years, I have also worked as a freelance journalist, spending 10 years as a Nashville correspondent for People and about two years as the celebrity columnist for The Tennessean. I took a leave of absence in 2010 to serve as UMG Nashville’s senior vice president of artist and media relations, then returned to MTSU as Recording Industry Department chair in 2013. I became dean in January 2020.
DEFINING SUCCESS
When I was about 27, I asked myself, “What do I want out of life? Do I want to make the most money possible or lead the most interesting life?” I decided that I wanted to lead the most interesting life possible, which is what I have done. God has blessed me with more experiences than I could have ever dreamed about. Life is all about other people, and I have been blessed to have had jobs that brought numerous people into my life, from students and recording artists to co-workers and interview subjects.