Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN-5) released a statement on Sunday that the undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree he was awarded from Middle Tennessee State University in 2007 was in the field of Liberal Studies, not International Relations as he had previously stated.
“I previously stated that my degree from MTSU was in International Relations. When I pulled my transcript to verify, I realized I was mistaken. My degree is in Liberal Studies. I apologize for my misstatement,” Ogles said in a statement released by his office late Sunday evening:
During my senior year of college, I transferred to MTSU to pursue a degree in Political Science and International Relations. Due to an interfamilial matter, I dropped out of college and returned home to financially support my family during a difficult time. Though leaving school was a difficult decision, it was the right one. I would do the same thing again today, even though withdrawing left several incomplete grades that would ultimately be registered as failing.
In the mid-2000s, as a non-traditional student, I set out to finish my final semester at MTSU through their distance learning program. I wanted to set an example for our daughter, demonstrating the importance of finishing what you start. Working with a counselor, I was advised to take twelve credit hours, as well as complete a three-hour senior project in order to obtain my degree.
After completing the online courses, I was awarded a Bachelor of Science, and MTSU mailed me my degree a few months later. At the time, it was my understanding I had completed my course of study in Political Science and International Relations.
Last week, I requested an official copy of my transcript and learned that I was actually awarded a broader degree in Liberal Studies with minors in Political Science and English. I look forward to continually showing our three children the importance of finishing what you start, never giving up, and overcoming past adversity.
The former mayor of Maury County was elected to represent Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives by a ten point margin over the Democrat nominee State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) in November 2022. Ogles won a hotly contested GOP primary race for the nomination in August 2022 after receiving the endorsement of Club for Growth and several other conservative groups and individuals.
Ogles has recently been the subject of an investigative series on NewsChannel5 conducted by Phil Williams, which has focused on claims that Ogles has embellished his resume in three areas: Claiming to be an economist when he is not, overstating his law enforcement experience, and overstating his experience in combatting human sex trafficking.
Late Sunday, The Tennessee Star requested that Ogles release his full college transcript for an inclusion in this story, but has not yet received a response.
The Star also requested that Ogles release an image of his 2007 diploma from MTSU, and his office provided this image below, which states simply the degree was a Bachelor of Science, and did not reference the major of Liberal Studies.
Ogles added more details about his college degree in a full statement.
“After completing the following courses online, I was awarded a Bachelor of Science, and the University mailed me my degree a few months later: International Law (grade A), Political Parties (A), Foreign Policy (B), Non-Western Lit (B) and my Senior Project (B). At that time, it was my understanding that I had completed my course of study in Poli Sci and International Relations,” Ogles said.
“I am proud of my body of work over the last few decades helping the people of Tennessee fight for freedom and individual liberty, and I look forward to continuing that fight for the Fifth Congressional District,” Ogles concluded.
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Michael Patrick Leahy is the Editor in Chief of The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Leahy on Twitter at @michaelpleahy.
Photo “Andrew Ogles” by Andrew Ogles. Background Photo “Middle Tennessee State University” by Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).
