Building Futures: How CASE is Bridging the Gap Between Classroom and Career

At CASE, we are committed to providing our students with a clear roadmap to their future professional lives. This year, we’ve made a dedicated push to move beyond the abstract and bring the professional world directly to our students.

By implementing specific career and industry focuses, we are giving our students a front-row seat to the diverse paths available to them. From the soil of urban gardening to the high-stakes world of healthcare, we want every student to see a version of their future self in the professionals we host.

A Semester of Exploration

So far this year, our students have engaged with professional partners across a massive spectrum of industries. We’ve explored:

• Design & Infrastructure: Environmental Design, Construction, and Creative Design.

• Service & Leadership: Government and Civic Services, Education, and Community + Social Services.

• Innovation & Craft: Entrepreneurialism, Culinary Services, and Food & Nutrition.

• Sustainability: Agriculture, Gardening, and Environmental Services.

We are thrilled to carry this career exploration into the spring semester!

Spotlight: Designing for Change at DASHville

One of our most impactful highlights this year has been our participation in DASHville, a workshop facilitated by the Civic Design Center.

The workshop challenged our students to tackle one of Nashville’s most pressing issues: affordable housing. This wasn't just a lecture; it was a 2-hour intensive where students stepped into the shoes of architects and builders.

The Challenge: Students were tasked with designing homes for specific clients, navigating the complex "balancing act" professional urban planners face every day:

1. Affordability: Working strictly within a budget to ensure the home remains accessible.

2. Sustainability: Reducing environmental impact through "green" innovation.

The Results: We saw models featuring solar panels, compost bins, and green roofs. It was so exciting to witness the creativity of our students to not only design houses, but work together to solve problems.

Join Us this Spring: Share Your Expertise

Our students’ success is fueled by the real-world perspective that only professionals like you can provide. As we prepare for our spring semester, we are looking for more partners to share their stories, their challenges, and their career journeys.

Do you work in one of our focus industries? Whether you’d like to speak to a site, host a workshop, or provide a demonstration, your presence can spark a lifelong passion for a student.

Help us shape the next generation of Nashville’s workforce. * Contact us at case@godintl.org to get involved.