The Rhodes College Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) won Best Delegation at the 49th General Assembly held Nov. 16-18 at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. The Rhodes delegation had 23 representatives who served in every area of TISL including the House of Representatives, Senate Supreme Court, and the Appellate Moot Court Collegiate Challenge. Students also served as lobbyists and media personnel.
TISL is a forum for campus leaders to express their opinions on state-specific issues and learn how government works in a realistic setting at the state capitol. Some mock legislation introduced by students can be selected by the TISL Executive Council to be promoted to Tennessee state legislators for actual consideration.
“The representatives exchange ideas and promote leadership all while engaging the civic process of state government,” says Hope Johnson ’19, who served as the TISL Supreme Court’s Clerk & Marshal.
Other Rhodes students in leadership roles at the assembly include Anne Healy ’19 (Deputy Secretary of State), Faith Udobong ’20 (Speaker of the Senate), and Caroline Koch ‘21 (CEO of the Tennessee Teacher’s lobbying firm). Udobong was selected to serve as the governor for the 50th TISL Assembly, making her the first African American female governor that the organization has had.
The Rhodes Delegation passed six bills, which were all signed by the TISL governor. Johnson says that these bills will be considered for priority legislation by TISL’s Executive Counsel and will hopefully go on to become actual Tennessee law.
By Katherine Hancock ’19