Students travel to state capitol to learn law-making process
![Southwest’s 2019 Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature student delegation](/stories/scoop/2020/02/images/tisl1-small.jpg)
Southwest’s 2019 Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature student delegation.
The Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) is a four-day mock legislative session for college students across the state. Each student serving in the mock legislature is required to write a piece of legislation that will be debated and voted on at the state capitol in Nashville, just like Tennessee’s real General Assembly. Southwest students chosen to participate see and learn how the state legislature works. They also develop leadership skills and network with other students from across the state who share their interest in government and the political process.
TISL advisors Dr. Eddie Baker and Ms. Tamera Boyland say TISL preparation is intense, requiring hard work and a commitment to learning about the legislative process, bills, and other elements essential to team success. “TISL is a wonderful opportunity for students who are interested in government because it gives them the first-hand experience of the legislative process,” Dr. Baker said.
The 2019 TISL session was held Nov. 21-24. Southwest sent a 12-student delegation that included two students serving in the Senate, seven in the House of Representatives, two as lobbyists and one as a media representative.
The Southwest delegation were:
- Celena Celej - Lobbyist CEO/Head Delegate
- Olajide Ibitoye - Lobbyist
- Dana Warwick - Senator
- Mitchell Grimm - Alternate Senator
- Josephine Owens - Representative
- Carl Slappy, Jr. - Representative
- Josue Flores - Representative
- Anya Parker - Representative
- Stephanie Harrington - Representative
- Ryan Parkhurst- Representative
- Reagan Warwick – Media
Throughout the mock session, students were challenged to draft and present legislation, as well as serve in numerous other capacities. The Southwest TISL Team drafted the following 11 bills, eight of which passed through the house and senate:
![Carl Slappy, Jr. (at left) reviews the media bill with staff from Representative John B. Holsclaw’s office.](/stories/scoop/2020/02/images/tisl2-small.jpg)
Carl Slappy, Jr. (at left) reviews the media bill with staff from Representative John B. Holsclaw’s office.
1) Protecting the independence of campus media at public post-secondary educational
institutions;
2) Providing day care for teen mothers while in high school;
3) Requiring life skills course for high school students;
4) Requiring K-12 teachers to obtain emergency bleeding control certification;
5) Requiring mental health counselors in all public primary and secondary schools;
6) Prohibiting workforce discrimination due to natural hair texture and protective
hairstyles;
7) Providing 24-hour access to on-campus libraries and study areas of post-secondary
institutions; and,
8) Requiring creative activity courses in Tennessee public high schools.
Carl Slappy, Jr. is working toward earning two associate degrees at Southwest in accounting and business administration. He says the experience was eye-opening. “Attending the mock session is not for the faint of heart—there is a lot of work and preparation involved, but it’s definitely worth going,” he said. Slappy helped edit the bill calling for the independence of campus media. “It was fascinating and challenging to learn the proper procedures and framework of how bills are pushed through the house and senate.”
Students interested in participating in the 2020 TISL experience should contact the Office of Student Development at 901-333-5380 or studentdevelopment@southwest.tn.edu.
In This Issue...
- FROM THE PRESIDENT
- Southwest Foundation takes center stage at cityCURRENT Signature Breakfast
- Welcome aboard, new team members
- Human Resources to kick-off redesign of employee experience in 2020
- MENTAL HEALTH CORNER: Charting a new path
- HIPs teaching methods a ‘game changer’ for student success
- Project M.O.S.T. hosts “De-Stress” fest during finals
- SGA Angel Tree Program brings holiday spirit to Alton Elementary students
- FACULTY: Schedule Library Instruction session for your students today
- STUDENTS: Print 2019 Tax Forms in My.Southwest portal
- AACC names Chef Steven Leake a 2020 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty recipient
- KUDOS: Memphis Grizzlies select VP of Student Affairs Jacqueline Faulkner for annual HBCU Empowerment Award
- US Secret Service trains Southwest SERT team on workplace security
- U.S. State Department selects Dr. Christopher Hastings specialist assignment
- THEC awards Southwest and TCAT-Memphis $145K Veteran Reconnect grant
- Writers series showcases works by Southwest faculty
- Students travel to state capitol to learn law-making process
- Early FAFSA completers win book scholarships
- Culinary arts graduate opens ‘Cool Beans’ coffee shop in Cordova
- Southwest and TCAT-Memphis tout growth and expansion at 2020 Legislative Luncheon
- Southwest establishes Innovation Funds to fuel success; Now accepting grant applications
- Scholarship recipients thank Foundation donors for making dreams come true
- Southwest celebrates the holidays with faculty and staff open house
- Women of Worth accepting new members
- Shelby County Government and Southwest Allied Health and Sciences drill nursing students on disaster triage
- Business and Technologies joins National Cyber Watch Center
- SALUQI CORNER: Saluqis start new year with impressive wins
- Southwest: In the News
- 32nd Annual Carter G. Woodson Award Ceremony is Feb. 13