Jackson, Tenn (April 25, 2024) – Lane College is proud to announce that State Representative Jesse Chism will be the guest speaker at this year’s Baccalaureate Service held at 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 26, 2024, in the William Henry Graves Auditorium and Chapel inside the Chambers-McClure Academic Center on the Lane College campus.
State Representative Jesse Chism, our esteemed guest speaker, brings a wealth of unique qualifications to the table. Currently serving his third two-year term as a State Representative from Memphis, TN, he represents House District 85. A native Tennessean, Jesse has a diverse professional background, having worked in nonprofit organizations and as a classroom teacher. He is also a real estate investor, rehabbing houses and providing affordable housing to families in need.
With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Morehouse College and a Master’s in Education from Union University, Jesse blends the acumen of marketing and economics with a deep understanding of educational dynamics. Jesse developed a strong devotion to education and service to others by watching his parents. His mother was an educator, and his father was an active businessman who was committed to the Whitehaven community—the same community that Jesse grew up in and has lived in for more than four decades.
As a State Representative, Jesse Chism has made significant contributions and earned numerous honors. He was recognized as one of the nation’s Emerging Leaders in 2019 and became a Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills Scholar in 2021. Currently, he serves as the Vice Chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators and as a Co-Chair of the Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, where he is one of the first African Americans to hold this position. His commitment to his constituents is unwavering, guided by the ethos of “Service Above Self.” In Jesse Chism, we find not just a representative, but a beacon of hope and progress for a brighter future.