Brittany Cobble

Brittany Cobble first discovered her interest in politics as a senior Greeneville High School, studying American government while the 2012 presidential election cycle was in full swing and touring the state capitol in Nashville as a participant in the Greene County Youth Leadership Program. 

“I began following politics and was captivated by the way the entire system works,” she said.  “I decided to major in political science in hopes of establishing a career that keeps me involved with bettering the community.”

Cobble enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University, but transferred to East Tennessee State University after her freshman year to study closer to home and participate in cheerleading.  In addition, she became a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Pi Sigma Alpha political science honor society, College Republicans and The Well, a campus ministry.

Although cheering at the collegiate level had been a lifelong dream, Cobble left cheerleading after her sophomore year to focus on learning more about politics, and spent the spring 2015 semester in Nashville gaining first-hand experience in the workings of state government through the Tennessee Legislative Internship Program.

Cobble was an intern for State Rep. Jon Lundberg of Bristol, chairman of the House Civil Justice Committee.  Her duties varied daily, and included attending and taking notes at committee meetings, answering phone calls from constituents, and even filling in for Rep. Lundberg’s assistant on occasion.  She researched and wrote a paper that described the path of a chosen piece of legislation from its initial proposal to the vote on the House floor.  “I interviewed two different representatives with opposing viewpoints to better understand their reasoning for why they were voting the way that they were,” she added.  “That was my favorite thing during the internship.”

Interns also had the opportunity to propose and debate mock pieces of legislation among themselves, as well as to hear a variety of guest speakers from state government, including House Speaker Beth Harwell, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, Secretary of State Tre Hargett and others.

During her semester in Nashville, Cobble took in a comedy show and several Predators hockey games, attended a Sounds baseball game with other interns, ran her first 15K race, and took part in a basketball game between the interns and legislators, which she says was “hilarious.”

The Legislative Internship Program gave Cobble the chance to “really learn how things flow in the (representative’s) office.  I also gained amazing networking opportunities.  I met with so many people of different organizations, and I really learned a lot about the way they all work together.”

Eager to learn even more about the inner workings of the political world, Cobble is now serving a summer internship in U.S. Sen. Bob Corker’s Tri-Cities Field Office in Jonesborough.

“After spending a semester in Nashville learning about state politics, I began to wonder about the federal side,” she said.  “I have always looked up to Sen. Corker with great respect, and after hearing about the internship through a friend who had previously done it, I knew it would be a great way to gain experience working with the federal government.”

As she did in Nashville, Cobble enjoys working in constituent services with her current internship.  “No matter what it is that we are doing, it is almost always something that deals with personally helping one of Sen. Corker’s constituents in some way or another,” she said.  “A lot of people have negative images of politicians.  This internship has helped me realize that the government truly does work for the people.  It is amazing to see a constituent come in and express their gratitude for the way our office was able to help them with their case.  I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the way one politician can actually change people’s lives for the better.”

Cobble looks forward to completing her coursework in her senior year at ETSU.

“I have really grown in my passion for politics during my time here, and I have the professors to thank for that,” she said.  “Each professor I have had has made a positive impact on me.”

Cobble, who expects to graduate in May 2016, plans to enter the University of Tennessee’s Master of Public Policy and Administration Program.  “I have not yet determined what my next step after that will be,” she said, “but I would love to be some sort of foreign policy advisor or chief of staff.”