Entertainment industry trade organization Nashville Association of Talent Directors (NATD) continues to make education outreach and scholarship bestowment its prime mission. With the help of its members, NATD raised over $100,000 this year, all dedicated to its newly created J.P. Williams Scholarship division.

Funds were distributed to four endowments - IEBA's scholarship at Belmont University, NATD's Murray State Scholarships connected with its College of Knowledge program, an NATD Scholarship at the University of Montana Music Business School and most recently, a presentation of a $5000 scholarship to Santa Monica's Pacific Point Academy.

“NATD wants to help nurture, teach and broaden the horizon of the young people interested in being in our industry,” says Steve Tolman, President NATD. “We want to bring to their attention all the varied opportunities there are in our very competitive entertainment business and help grow our future.”

$25,000 was used to fund the Ron Baird Scholarship Fund at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT (www.umt.edu) and will be distributed to students in the Entertainment Management Program in a joint effort by NATD and IEBA. Baird, legendary agent and former head of CAA's Nashville office passed away in 2011 due to complications from Parkinson's disease.

A new scholarship was founded in Williams' name at Murray State University in Murray, KY (www.murraystate.edu) in the amount of $37,500. NATD will be the distributing entity to award the J.P. Williams Scholarship to students in Murray State's Music Business program.

The final $37,500 was used to supplement the established scholarship in Williams' name at Belmont University (www.belmont.edu). IEBA has awarded the J.P. Williams Scholarship to five students in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Business since it was founded in 2007.

In Fall 2011, NATD established the College of Knowledge with a goal of providing an outlet for entertainment professionals to educate and inspire individuals with an interest in the music business while giving them an insider's look at the various facets of the industry. Each year, NATD members along with some of the industry's top artists and songwriters travel to Murray State University to lead the free day-long event filled with panels and performances.

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