Belmont Students Step Inside the Music Industry’s Power Center on Spring Break Trip to D.C.

Music Business students connect with policymakers, executives and alumni shaping the music industry

Students from the Music Business program visited Washington, D.C. over spring break as part of a course titled “Music Business, Entertainment and the Power of Policy,”putting them in front of policy makers, CEOs and other leaders of the industry. The students gained firsthand insight into how lawmaking intersects with the entertainment business through the weeklong hands-on experience.

Where the Industry Takes Shape 

At the U.S. Copyright Office, students heard from Acting Deputy General Counsel John Riley and Judge of the Copyright Royalty Board Steve Ruwe, gaining a deeper understanding of the legal foundation behind the entertainment business. As students likely working towards roles as artists, managers, publishers, label executives, entertainment attorneys and more, the experience brought clarity to future career paths.  

“As a student applying to law school, this gave me a more complete view of what law looks like in the music industry,” said senior music business major Shelby Gill. “Attending the different music trade organizations showed me more career options I can pursue after graduation.” 

Leveraging Belmont connections and the alumni network, the students also visited the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), where executives shared real-world insights into publishing, advocacy, communications and event strategy.

From Classroom to Career 

The trip highlighted the power of Belmont’s alumni network. Students connected with alumna Cara Cunningham, director of external affairs at the NMPA, who built her career in the industry within just five years of graduating with her Bachelor of Business Administration in Music Business in 2018. 

For senior music business major Maeve Beck, who is interested in entertainment law and advocacy, the experience reinforced her goals. “I learned a lot about pushing the needle in Washington for music,” she shared. 

An Experience You Can’t Replicate 

Designed to bridge classroom learning with real-world application, the trip gave students behind-the-scenes access to the people and policies shaping today’s music industry. 

“It was an outstanding week of learning and engagement,” said trip leader Amy Bryson Smith, associate professor and chair of music business. “Our students were given a rare opportunity to interact directly with the policymakers and industry leaders shaping today’s music business landscape.”