Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL)

Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature is a forum for the top echelon of the state's campus leaders to engage in civic process, learn how the State Legislature works, and promote state-wide issues on campus. Each year, SGA sends a delegation of 18 students to the General Assembly in November to represent the University of Memphis. Students selected will participate in one of the 4 programs: legislative (House and Senate), lobbying, AMC3, or media. For more information please contact one of our delegation's executive officers, visit our social media pages @tisltigers (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), or visit www.tislonline.org.

Paige Foster, Head Delegate
pefoster@memphis.edu

Erica Crosby, Government Relations
encrosby@memphis.edu

James Potts, Legislative Director
japotts1@memphis.edu

Jackson Gaither, Recruitment and Media Coordinator
jgither2@memphis.edu

Awards from the 53rd General Assembly

Carlisle Award – The Carlisle award is TISL’s oldest and most prestigious award and recognizes 10 outstanding legislators. This award was presented to James Potts.

Our AMC3 Team was semi-finalist in their competition.

Paige Foster was elected as the Governor for the 54th General Assembly.

Mandy Gaw was appointed as a TISC Justice for the 54th General Assembly.

Past Awards

Best Delegation - At the close of TISL each year, the Executive Council meets to evaluate each delegation on its ability to bring and present quality legislation, to debate actively in sessions of the General Assembly, and its overall participation in the General Assembly. As decided by the Executive Council, the delegation that outshines all others is selected as the Best Delegation. The Best Delegation of the 48th General Assembly was awarded to the University of Memphis.

Carlisle Award - The Carlisle award is TISL's oldest and most prestigious award and recognizes 10 outstanding legislators.  This award was presented to Matthew Mullins.

Best Senator Award - This award is granted on basis of possessing great skill in debate, having knowledge of parliamentary procedure, being effective in session, and on the quality of legislation sponsored.  This award was presented to Brock Rowell.

Best Lobbyist Award - This award recognizes the outstanding lobbyist on their effectiveness to achieve goals in an ethical manner. This award was presented to Maya McBride.

Best Media Team - This award recognizes the best media team, whose hard work and dedication exemplify the tenets of political journalism.  This award was presented to John Klyce and Peyton Pilgrim.

Priority Legislation - At the end of the year's General Assembly, the Executive Council of TISL meets to select priority legislation from among those bills passed by the General Assembly. At the 48th General Assembly, TISL Bill 7, AN ACT TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS AND TO IMPLEMENT A TAX ON ALL OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS, was selected for priority legislation. The sponsors for this bill were Matthew Mullins, Kevin Carpenter and Brock Rowell. After receiving this designation, the sponsors of this bill successfully lobbied state legislators in order to put an end to the opioid epidemic in Tennessee.

Past TISL Governors from Memphis

Academic Year General Assembly Governor

1971-72 6th Frank Clement Jr.

1976-77 13th David Lillard Jr.

1978-79 15th Douglas Littlejohn

1987-88 N/A Alan Crone

1990-91 N/A Kevin O’Connor

1993-94 27th Tre Hargett

1995-96 29th Russell A. Humphrey

1997-98 31st Jeffrey F. Wisdom

1999-20 33rd Emily Cline (Bronze)

2002-03 35th Elizabeth Shelly

2008-09 39th Kenneth Taylor

2010-11 41st Gian Gozum

2011-12 42nd Cory Higdon

2022-23 54th Paige Foster

Notable TISL Alumni from Memphis

Chief Clerk of the Tennessee Senate, Russell Humphrey

Current Tennessee Secretary of State, Tre Hargett

Current Tennessee State Treasurer, David Lillard

Former Tennessee House of Representative, Carol Chumney

For Questions about TISL, contact sga@memphis.edu.