GOP Congressman Andy Ogles (TN-5) Releases Statement: Undergraduate Degree from MTSU Was in Liberal Studies

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.

Yes, Every Kid

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).

 

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13 Thoughts to “GOP Congressman Andy Ogles (TN-5) Releases Statement: Undergraduate Degree from MTSU Was in Liberal Studies”

  1. russel

    Don’t care, I’m in his district,
    doin a great job so far.

  2. Tim Price

    If Democrat had done such a thing, you liberals would be slamming each other out of way to defend the liberal!

    Phil Williams and WTVF are liberal hacks!

  3. nicky wicks

    phil williams has a real anger-boner for andy and anything not liberal

  4. James Soverign

    The only reason he claimed his degree wasn’t in “Liberal Studies” is because he was afraid the idiots in his district would automatically hate anything with “Liberal” in the title. They honestly don’t know that Liberal Studies are literature, philosophy, mathematics, and social and physical sciences–anything not technical or vocational.
    Pandering to the toothless.

  5. non-a-me

    TO THE FOLKS THAT COMMENTED ON THIS ARTICLE. What’s there to say about Ogles? You’re either happy, annoyed or don’t really give a rat’s +++ as long as he does his job NOW to your satisfaction. Right?

  6. LizB

    “Liberal Studies”….ha ha ha I love it!!!!

  7. Clint

    So your support of a pathological liar who will say anything to get ahead is based on your religious beliefs? That’s bizarre.

  8. Cannoneertwo

    Big Fat Red Warning Flag! Who doesn’t remember what the exact title of their undergraduate degree was/is???

  9. Now no matter what he does, he’ll always be the guy who lied about his degree.

    Nice going, Mayor Andy. Way to make us proud.

  10. Nicole Burke

    So let me get this right…

    Andy Ogles did not major in International Relations, he’s not an Economist, he did not graduate from Vandy or Dartmouth, and he was never an International Sex Crimes and Child Trafficking Detective.

    Got it.

  11. Truthy McTruthFace

    well, joe biden has been lying about everything for 50 years. where’s the news stories on him?

  12. Randy

    The hatred and politics of personal destruction by the Media for anyone that has an R by their name or steps outside their narrow minded narrative has reached the point of absurdity. Attempting to involve the best and brightest people in the process of self governance grows increasingly difficult as a result.

  13. Stuart I. Anderson

    Andy is my congressman and his only grades that I care about will be his grade on the Heritage Action scorecard. Somehow as I await the release of his first scores I’m not the least bit worried because I think he’ll do just fine.

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