Baker Student Julia Dieter Appointed as Student Representative to THEC
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has appointed University of Tennessee junior Julia Dieter, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, as the student representative on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Dieter is pursuing an undergraduate degree in public affairs from the Howard H. Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs and is part of the Chancellor’s Honors Program. As the student representative, she will serve as the voice of Tennessee’s students, ensuring their perspectives are heard as the Commission considers policies and initiatives that shape the future of higher education. In this role, Dieter will provide valuable insight into the student experience, helping THEC stay connected to the needs, challenges, and aspirations of students across the state.
Dieter will serve a one-year term, which began in August. The student representative is selected through a competitive interview process. Formed in 1967, THEC is the state’s higher education coordinating board and is responsible for an array of duties, including administration of the outcomes-based funding formula, approval of all new academic degree programs, the development of the state master plan for higher education, authorization and regulation of proprietary institutions, and serves as a hub for postsecondary data analysis and research as well as the state approving agency for veteran education benefits.
“I am eager to represent student voices in Tennessee, especially having completed my K-12 and working on post-secondary education in the state,” Dieter said. “I am passionate about education policy and cannot wait to aid in improving education in my home state.”
Dieter is working on a national security concentration and an American Civics minor concurrently with her public affairs degree and plans to pursue law school. She is a Tocqueville Scholar, a student ambassador and is heavily involved with UT’s Student Government Association and the Office of First Year Experience. Additionally, she has participated in the Baker School’s Local Government Internship Program and the Institute Fellows. Dieter spent the summer in London, England, where she completed an internship with HealthProm.
About the Howard H. Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs
The Howard H. Baker, Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, prepares skilled public problem solvers, grounded in the legacy of Howard H. Baker, Jr., and prepared to take leadership roles in their communities. The first and only institution of its kind in Tennessee, the Baker School offers academic programs, research opportunities, and outreach initiatives that foster thoughtful dialogue and informed decision-making at the local, national, and global levels. For more information, visit baker.UTK.edu.