Over 250 Saw Courtney Cole at State Fair Community College

The Missouri State Fair, one of the state's biggest events, kicked off in Sedalia on August 11, but the night before the fair, State Fair Community College was host to a big event of its own.

CMT brought up-and-coming country star Courtney Cole to the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center for a free concert, as part of the network's Empowering Education campaign, "a comprehensive educational campaign that provides an online resource, CMTEMPOWERINGEDUCATION.COM, to aid CMT viewers in overcoming the most common perceived obstacles to furthering education." Through the Missouri Community College Association, nine of Missouri’s rural colleges partnered with CMT on the event.

SFCC reports that over 250 people attended the show, which was opened by local band Bluestem. A resource fair was held prior to the concert, and community college students shared their stories about how Missouri’s rural colleges are changing the lives of students across the state.

“There's no better way to start a show than having these inspiring students share their stories,” Courtney Cole said. “It's also an honor to be able to share mine through the power of music." Cole, who has been opening for Miranda Lambert, was chosen as the spokesperson of the campaign in April and will headline 10 events at community colleges across the nation over the course of the year