THE TIMELINE
May 2013 - Attend Prison Conference at Vanderbilt University; Karen Vander Molen meets Emily O'Malley-Laursen, Anne Weber, Bridget Riley
June 2013 - Begin to meet as a group to figure out a way to bring something like Prison Entrepreneurship Program to Tennessee
August 2013 - Karen finds out about Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership (ICL) at Lipscomb U. and submits application
September 2013 - Karen accepted as a graduate student and Fellow at the ICL
October 2013 - classes begin
November 2013 - Emily and Karen begin working on the Concept Brief and up the chain of command
April 2014 - Concept brief presented to Commissioner Derrick Schofield and he gives the BEST project a green light.
May 2014 - Emily and Karen meet with Sam Lingo of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC) to discuss partnership
June 2014 - Begin recruiting the BEST pilot cohort from all the men's prisons in Tennessee
July 2014 - Bridget conducts two BEST Brainstorm sessions to recruit volunteer instructors and orient them to BEST; EC Board approves BEST as partner
August 2014 - Applications (46) read and scored by three readers, creating a ranked list of candidates
September 2014 - List given to Warden S. Nixon of Charles Bass Correctional Complex (CBCX), site of BEST; volunteer instructors recruited
October 2014 - Continue to recruit volunteers; order books and supplies; men moved to CBCX; October 21 is the first day of BEST Phase One; BEST Kickoff Program on Friday of first week
November 2014 - Conduct Toastmasters Model Meeting with 8 volunteer Toastmasters; begin twice weekly TIP TOP (Tennessee Inmates Progressing Toward Oratorical Preeminence) Gavelier Club meetings; meet Prof. Erin Anderson to discuss BEST/student mentor possibility during Phase Two; PreFlight curriculum will be taught by John Murdock of the EC
December 2014 - begin to configure donated tablets from Innertainment Delivery Systems by Dr. Turner Nashe, Jr. to prepare for Phase Two; BEST Blog begins
January 2015 - Phase One wraps up with TIME Magazine Man of the Year capstone project completion; Phase Two begins January 26, 2015; Belmont EntrePartneurs begin coming once a week to guide and research information for Launch Plans
February 2015 - Begin teaching financial literacy for individuals and for small business; snow and ice days - lose a week; begin typing Launch Plans
March 2015 - EC mentors help with Launch Plans; begin working on pitches and pitch deck; finish up Toastmasters Competent Communicator projects
April 2015 - Continue refining Launch Plans; create P&L, practicing pitches with mentors helping strengthen the plans and presentations; speech contest held for Graduation main speaker; plan Graduation. Pitch Day April 22. Graduation Day April 24 with over 120 in attendance including 18 graduates in cap and gown, family members, BEST volunteers and instructors, Belmont EntrePartneurs, TDOC Central Office workers, EC representatives, CBCX employees gathered together to celebrate the completion of the BEST Pilot program.