College Decision Day sees announcements of new courses and exclusive Dolly U merchandise
Belmont University is expanding course and fellowship offerings for its “Dolly U” program, building on the groundbreaking educational partnership with Dolly Parton and CTK Enterprises that launched earlier this year. In addition, on the day high school seniors make their college decision commitments, Dolly U merch is unveiled for the first time, and available exclusively this month in the Dolly Parton Official Store.
Following the success of Belmont’s inaugural spring 2025 Dolly U courses, four new classes for the Fall 2025 semester will provide students with continued immersive learning experiences centered on Dolly Parton's life, career and “Dolly: An Original Musical,” the Broadway-bound musical based on her life that will premiere this summer in Belmont’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
Fall 2025 Dolly U offerings include:
- Documentary Project, taught by Annie Price – A collaborative class where journalism students will develop story structure and scripts for "Dolly: The Making of a Musical," using professional footage from CTK Enterprises documenting the musical's Broadway development.
- Dolly: Documentary Editing, taught by Jennifer Bergen – An upper-level editing course where motion pictures students will collaborate with writers to edit the behind-the-scenes film, "Dolly: The Making of a Musical," using CTK Enterprises footage.
- Dolly Parton: Songteller, taught by Jodi Marr and Victoria Banks – An exploration of Dolly Parton's songwriting journey, analyzing pivotal songs, techniques and their impact on her career and the broader entertainment landscape.
- Market Research, taught by Dr. Brandon Holle – A hands-on study of modern marketing research techniques, featuring a direct project connection to "Dolly: An Original Musical."
In addition, nine undergraduate students from across disciplines have been selected as the second cohort of Dolly U Fellows, working directly with the Broadway-bound production. From June 2 to Aug. 8, fellows will spend 28 to 40 hours per week embedded with specific departments of the musical production team.
The summer fellows include:
- Ellie Thompson (music, musical theatre emphasis, '26): general/company management
- Margo Dobbs (fashion design, '26): costumes
- Rachel Phinney (theatre production design, '26): costumes
- Elise Olson (theatre & drama, '25): costumes
- Jude Whalen (music business with production emphasis, '27): stage management
- Cece Twohey (audio engineering technology, '26): sound
- Hudson Blake (musical theatre, music theory, '25): music
- Riley McConnell (theatre performance, '27): directing
- Mackenzie Thompson (motion picture production, '27): video
This paid opportunity gives students rare behind-the-scenes access as they contribute to bringing "Dolly: An Original Musical" to life at the Fisher Center this summer.
"The expansion of Dolly U marks the next chapter in our innovative partnership with Dolly Parton and CTK Enterprises," said Sarah Cates, VP for imagination, strategic initiatives & partnerships at Belmont. "Building on the foundation laid this spring, the new fall curriculum continues to reflect Belmont’s commitment to transformative, real-world learning that bridges classroom experience with industry practice. By expanding both our curriculum and the fellowship program, we're creating unparalleled opportunities for students to develop professional skills alongside one of music's most iconic figures as her impact continues to unfold on the Broadway stage."
This next phase of Dolly U not only deepens Belmont’s relationship with one of music’s most influential icons but also expands access to hands-on, industry-facing experiences. By integrating academic study with professional collaboration, the program continues to raise the bar for applied learning in entertainment education.
Students in the Spring 2025 courses also had the opportunity to provide ideas for the first batch of Dolly U merchandise, which is available exclusively in Dolly Parton’s online store.
The Dolly U partnership, which was launched in January 2025, creates meaningful, hands-on learning experiences for students across various disciplines while celebrating and amplifying the life and music of Dolly Parton. The program fosters creativity, innovation, and character development in a rising generation of entertainment and community leaders.
Learn more about Dolly U and "Dolly: An Original Musical"