Aspire at MAC POWER Youth Summit featuring Nashville Metropolitan Action Commission branding and photos of youth participating in summer internship and career readiness activities.

Aspire Supports 1,500+ Youth at MAC POWER Youth Summit

ASPIRE x GEAR UP Nashville Partnership

Dream BLDRS: Career-Readiness Summer Series

Helping Students Prepare for College, Careers, and Life After Graduation

College and more.

ASPIRE is proud to partner with GEAR UP Nashville to deliver Dream BLDRS: Career-Readiness Summer Series, a student-centered program designed to help recent graduates and career-readiness students prepare for college, careers, and life after graduation.

This partnership brings together GEAR UP Nashville’s commitment to increasing college and career readiness with ASPIRE’s mission to help students build vision, confidence, leadership identity, and practical tools for their next chapter.

Through in-person sessions, career exposure, virtual vision experiences, mentorship, and community connection, Dream BLDRS helps students move from possibility to preparation.

What is the ASPIRE x GEAR UP Nashville partnership?
ASPIRE is partnering with GEAR UP Nashville to deliver Dream BLDRS: Career-Readiness Summer Series, a college, career, and life-readiness program for recent graduates and career-readiness students in Nashville.
Who is the program for?
The program is designed for career-readiness students, recent graduates, and students preparing for life after high school.
What is Dream BLDRS?
Dream BLDRS is ASPIRE’s student development experience focused on helping young people build vision, confidence, leadership, and next-step readiness.
When is the kickoff event?
The kickoff event takes place on Friday, June 26, 2026, from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at NKA Gallery, located at 915 Buchanan, Nashville, TN.

About the Partnership

College Readiness, Career Readiness, and Life Readiness

The ASPIRE x GEAR UP Nashville partnership brings together two aligned missions: helping students believe in what is possible and equipping them with the tools to prepare for what comes next.

GEAR UP Nashville supports students, families, schools, and communities through college access, postsecondary preparation, and career-readiness resources. ASPIRE builds on that foundation by helping students develop vision, confidence, self-awareness, leadership skills, and readiness for life after graduation.

Together, this partnership creates a bridge between college readiness, career readiness, and life readiness.

Through Dream BLDRS, ASPIRE and GEAR UP Nashville are helping students explore their next steps with greater clarity and confidence. The program combines student-centered development, real-world exposure, career conversations, vision-building sessions, and community support to help students prepare for college, careers, entrepreneurship, and life beyond high school.

With the theme “College and more,” this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to meeting students where they are and helping them move forward with purpose.

About Dream BLDRS

A Student Development Experience by ASPIRE

Dream BLDRS is ASPIRE’s student development experience created to help young people build the vision, confidence, and discipline needed to pursue meaningful futures.

For the Career-Readiness Summer Series, Dream BLDRS is focused on supporting recent graduates and career-readiness students as they transition from high school into college, career pathways, entrepreneurship, and adult life.

The series expands the conversation beyond college readiness alone. It helps students prepare for college, careers, leadership, personal growth, and the real-life decisions that come after graduation.

This is college and more.

Who This Program Is For

Built for Career-Readiness Students and Recent Grads

Dream BLDRS: Career-Readiness Summer Series is built for:

  • Recent graduates
  • Career-readiness students
  • Students preparing for life after high school
  • Students exploring college, career, or postsecondary pathways
  • Students who want to build confidence, direction, and next-step readiness
  • Students who need support navigating life after graduation

This series is especially focused on helping students develop the mindset, communication skills, exposure, and practical tools needed to move forward with purpose.

College readiness matters. Career readiness matters. Confidence, identity, purpose, and community matter too.

That is why the theme for this series is “College and more.”

For students preparing for life after high school, success is not defined by one path alone. Dream BLDRS helps students explore multiple pathways while building the mindset and tools to pursue the future with confidence.

Whether a student is preparing for college, entering the workforce, exploring entrepreneurship, considering a trade, or still figuring out their next step, Dream BLDRS is designed to meet them where they are and help them move forward.