Shaping Tennessee’s Future: Julia Briggs’ Journey in Public Service
October 27, 2025
Mount Juliet native Julia Briggs is building her future around serving the people of Tennessee. As a Baker School MPA student concentrating in economic and community development, she is already making an impact through her work as a graduate research assistant with the Institute for Public Service, where she supports workforce development and community initiatives across the state.
Before beginning her MPA journey, Briggs gained hands-on experience in government and advocacy. She served as a legislative intern and summer fellow with the University of Tennessee Office of Government Relations, Advocacy, and Economic Development working full-time in Nashville from January to July 2024. While in Nashville, she worked under multiple mentors who earned their MPA from UT Knoxville—professionals who encouraged her to pursue the same degree to advance in the field of public service. That experience deepened her passion for state-level service and introduced her to mentors who inspired her to follow in their footsteps.
In addition to her graduate assistantship, Briggs also serves as an academic mentor for UT student-athletes, a role she describes as both fun and deeply rewarding. She supports students who face the unique challenge of balancing academic success with the pressures of athletic performance.
Outside the classroom, Briggs is a student leader in Women’s Ministry with the UT Navigators, where she helps guide and encourage other students in their personal and spiritual growth.
A proud UT alumna with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Briggs says her decision to return to the Baker School was inspired by her early involvement in programs like Baker Ambassadors, Washington Fellows, and the City of Knoxville Internship. “Each opportunity showed me how much the Baker community invests in its students,” she said. “I knew this was the right place to grow as a leader in public service.”
With every new experience, Briggs is shaping herself into the kind of leader who strengthens communities and creates lasting change across Tennessee.
