Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL)

The MTSU Student Government Association hosts the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature program and team.

Please visit the SGA webpage to see more information about TISL. You can also visit TISL’s website here.

What is TISL? – The Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) is a forum for students to exchange ideas, express their opinions, and learn how our state government works. TISL’s Senate and House of Representatives, which first convened in 1966, meet in the legislative chambers of the State Capitol each November.

How To Get Involved? – Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) is a four-day legislative session each November in the State Capitol. This session is for campus leaders to debate and vote on public issues. We encourage participants to write their own legislation prior to attending the session. There are limited spots for students to participate. Applications will be available this fall.

PGA often sees numerous students participate in TISL due to the nature of the program relating to legislative, judicial, lobbying, and media interests.

In 2025, MTSU sent a 17-member delegation to the conference. Those students were Jorge Avila, Gavin Cooley, Nathan Duarte, Hannah Ferreira, Liz Gordon, Victoria Grigsby, Brooke Hale, Denzel Harris, Annabelle Hillis, Ciin Kap, Maddy Lane, Deasia Powell, Farrah Renfroe, Chloe Rush, Amelia Sutherland, and Kaylee Wilson. Many of these students are PGA majors or minors!

Former state Rep. Beth Harwell, the state’s first female speaker of the House of Representatives as well as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in political science at MTSU, opened the 2025 TISL session.

Several MTSU students were recognized for their work during the conference. Denzel Harris received the Carlisle Award, TISL’s highest honor recognizing outstanding legislators. Kaylee Wilson earned an Outstanding Lobbyist Award representing the Civil Policies Firm, and Liz Gordon received an Outstanding Lobbyist Award for her work with the Healthcare Firm. In addition, Hannah Ferreira was elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the Senate for the 2025–2026 TISL term. 

Read more at MTSU News: https://mtsunews.com/mtsu-tisl-2025/

AMC3

The Appellate Moot Court Collegiate Challenge (AMC3) is a groundbreaking program where Tennessee undergraduates argue appellate cases with their peers. Tennessee colleges prepare a brief and send legal teams of undergraduates to argue as petitioner and respondent about a legal problem. The Tennessee Intercollegiate Supreme Court presides, assisted by Court-appointed magistrates in the preliminary round.

AMC3 arguments occur in Nashville concurrently with the General Assembly of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL).

A preliminary and an intermediate round will select finalists to compete for the championship. The Jury of View, comprised of professional lawyers, scores participants and determines finalists. On the morning of the fourth day (Sunday), the Supreme Court will deliver its decision and present awards to the best teams, lawyers and justices.

In 2025, MTSU’s team made it to the semi-final round of the Challenge!

TISL News