Nashville Adventures names first community leadership scholar

Nashville Adventures has awarded its first Community Leadership Scholarship to Gabby Adams, a Middle Tennessee native and sophomore at The Citadel. The veteran-owned tour company says the program spotlights Tennessee students who lead with character and service, not grades alone.

Why it matters: - Nashville Adventures is using a scholarship to back Tennessee students who show leadership and community service. - The program adds another public-facing move from a veteran-owned company that has already collected hospitality awards in Nashville and across Tennessee. - The first recipient, Gabby Adams, is a Middle Tennessee cadet on a path that mirrors founder Paul Whitten's own.

What happened: - Nashville Adventures named Gabby Adams its first Community Leadership Scholar on Aug. 20 at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. - Adams is a 19-year-old sophomore at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. - Adams is from Middle Tennessee and was recognized alongside her parents. - Nashville Adventures says it will name one to two Community Leadership Fellows each year.

The details: - The Nashville Adventures Community Leadership Scholarship is designed for Tennessee students who lead with character and give back to their communities. - The program does not reward the highest grades alone. - Recipients are titled Nashville Adventures Community Leadership Fellows. - Paul Whitten, founder of Nashville Adventures, said he was not the best student in the room and benefited when someone took a chance on him. - Whitten said Adams has the character and drive the company looks for. - Whitten said Adams' status as a Middle Tennessee student wearing the same uniform he wore at The Citadel made the selection especially meaningful. - Whitten graduated from The Citadel with majors in history and political science. - Whitten earned scholarship support after proving himself in the classroom and later used the GI Bill to finish. - Adams studies intelligence studies and serves in Army ROTC. - Adams is following the same path from The Citadel into the Army that Whitten once took. - Nashville Adventures, LLC was founded in September 2023 and is based at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. - The company is veteran-owned and operates as a walking-tour business. - In two award cycles, Nashville Adventures has earned four hospitality honors. - Those honors include 2025 Tourism General Manager of the Year for Nashville and Tennessee for Whitten. - The company also received the 2026 Greater Nashville Hospitality Association Community Service Award. - Operations Director Cody Witten was named the association's 2026 Tourism Manager of the Year. - Nashville Adventures donates 1% of all revenue, not profit, to veteran causes including Operation Stand Down Tennessee. - The company directs readers to more information.

Between the lines: - The scholarship extends Whitten's own experience with second chances into a formal program for other students. - The focus on character and service suggests Nashville Adventures wants the award to reflect leadership values, not academic ranking alone. - The Citadel connection gives the scholarship a personal dimension and helps tie the company's veteran identity to its community work.

What's next: - Nashville Adventures plans to continue naming one to two Community Leadership Fellows each year. - The company is likely to use the scholarship to deepen its veteran and community-service profile as it grows. - Additional information is available through the company's website and social channels.