Participants adopted roles of lawmakers, lawyers, lobbyists and journalists at State Capitol
Each November, hundreds of college students from across Tennessee gather at the State Capitol, taking on simulated roles of elected officials to pass bills and defend the rights of their fellow citizens at the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) General Assembly. Featuring senators, representatives, lobbyists, journalists and lawyers, the assembly lets students experience the inner workings of the state government from all angles.
This year, Belmont’s TISL team, sponsored by the political science department, showcased its talents in advocacy and decorum in every area.
The 55th General Assembly
Inside the Capitol, Belmont’s legislators met in the House and Senate chambers to pass the bills they spent the last several months working on. Students’ legislation spanned protecting minors with mental health issues to declaring Little Debbie snacks as the official treat of Tennessee, requiring them to collaborate and persuade the TISL governor to sign the bills into law.
Student legislators also heard from some of the most important voices in the state. Secretary of State Tre Hargett spoke at a joint luncheon with Marie Williams, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. The two discussed the importance of representing the state well and expressed their support for all of the students in attendance.
At the end of the four-day assembly, two Belmont students were recognized out of more than one hundred legislators for their excellence.
Senior political science major Carter Barnett was named Leader of the Senate Chamber, and senior political science and Spanish double major Rose Kores was named Outstanding Orator of the House.
“Being in the House is my favorite part about TISL because it’s where the best policy discussions are had,” said Kores. “I love that I get to debate with a group of exemplary individuals, and if my four years in TISL have taught me anything, it’s how to call a good point of order, utilize TCA code, and debate policy. All of that enabled me to earn what is basically an award for best yapper."
These successes on the floor did not go unnoticed throughout the weekend as a dedicated media team documented major turning points in bills. Led by journalism and political science senior Braden Simmons, students on the media team wrote breaking news pieces and learned how to clearly articulate legal jargon to everyday readers. Belmont was also celebrated in this event, with freshman journalism major Emily Garver winning best featured story.
“My favorite part was getting to see so many Tennessee students come together to get to share legislation they’ve worked so hard on all year,” said Simmons. “I think seeing the civil discourse that occurs among those students is so inspiring and I think it’s a great program for students that are looking to learn more about the legislative process.”
Tennessee Intercollegiate Supreme Court
As the legislators met in the House and Senate chambers, another group of students were simulating their aspiring legal careers in court room settings.
The Appellate Moot Court Collegiate Competition (AMC3) opens the floor for future lawyers to make strong written and oral arguments. While legislators prepared for the weekend by writing bills to be passed, AMC3 lawyers prepared by writing an argumentative brief detailing why the Tennessee Intercollegiate Supreme Court should rule in favor of one side over the other.
This year’s case highlighted an online journalist who was refusing to testify for the State of Tennessee, claiming a First Amendment and state journalist privilege. After choosing whether to write in favor of the journalist or the State, teams went to the Capitol to argue both sides through a tournament-style competition until a winner was chosen.
The Court’s duty, led by Belmont senior Jackson Clemons, was to administer justice and fairly determine the case based on the arguments they heard. Clemons was also responsible for training other officers of the Court and coordinating with Andree Blumstein, a former Tennessee solicitor general who served as the guest justice for the final round.
Belmont’s AMC3 team had great success in both written and oral arguments. The four-person team — made of seniors Faith Johnson (legal studies) and Ryleigh Green (public relations and German) and sophomores Jackson Harshbarger (music business and economics) and Noelle Porterfield (political science) — was awarded best brief and won its second consecutive Overall AMC3 Champions award for their in-person arguments.
“It was a tremendous honor to win first place for both our written brief and our oral arguments,” said Johnson. “As an aspiring appellate attorney, AMC3 has provided me with valuable experience in legal research, writing and oral argumentation that will prepare me to advocate for others in the future. I’m grateful to my teammates and everyone who helped to make this competition happen.”
Harshbarger agreed, noting the value of such a unique opportunity as a sophomore.
“Delivering oral arguments to a former Tennessee Special Supreme Court Justice in the Tennessee Supreme Court was not a box I thought I’d check during my undergraduate education,” added Harshbarger. “I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity and proud of our team for the great effort that propelled our victory.”
From the Senate floor to the Supreme Court chamber, Belmont students made waves in their TISL accomplishments. Students learned to connect with others and use their voices for good during this weekend of discussion and debate on Tennessee’s very own Capitol Hill.
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