MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — When Lincoln County native Victoria Grigsby appeared in a Middle Tennessee State University television commercial during her final semester, she wasn’t acting. She was simply telling her story — one rooted in rural Tennessee, shaped by perseverance and propelled by the opportunities she found at MTSU.

“Going to college wasn’t a given for me. It felt like a leap, and I took it,” she said in the commercial, developed and produced by the Division of Marketing and Communications, which debuted the 30-second spot at the beginning of Grigsby’s final semester at MTSU.

A Buchanan Fellow and recipient of the university’s President’s Award, Grigsby graduated in December with a double-major in political science and German with minors in economics and University Honors.

Decision-making led to MTSU

Raised by her grandparents on their family farm just minutes from the Tennessee/Alabama border, Grigsby said she learned the value of hard work and persistence. But the road to MTSU was paved with challenges, as finances were tight.

Grigsby applied to just a handful of universities, choosing MTSU for its affordability, scholarships and location — close enough to home for support, but far enough to allow independence.

“Murfreesboro felt like a big city to me at first,” Grigsby said. “But it still had a small-town feel. It was the perfect jump from a very rural area to something bigger, and it prepared me for living and working in cities later.”

Her interest in global affairs began early, fueled by a love of reading, history and stories shared by her grandparents, who lived in Germany while her grandfather was stationed in the military. In high school, she became fascinated by foreign languages and dreamed of studying abroad — even when it seemed financially out of reach.

“I begged and begged to study abroad,” Grigsby said. “We weren’t financially able, and for a long time I thought my only chance was in high school. Then I realized college is really where those opportunities exist.”

At MTSU, Grigsby thrived academically and became deeply involved on campus. She joined the American Democracy Project during her first semester and later served two years as its president, leading student voter registration efforts and civic engagement initiatives. She also served as a Student Government Association senator, campus tour guide, mock trial participant and political science tutor.

Leader on campus, excellence in academics

Honors College Dean John Vile said Grigsby’s impact reached far beyond the classroom.

“In addition to an almost flawless GPA, Ms. Grigsby has been one of our most civically engaged students,” Vile said. “She consistently connects academic excellence with service and leadership.”

Her advocacy helped MTSU earn the Tennessee Secretary of State’s voter registration award twice. She also attended county election commission meetings to support efforts to establish a campus polling location.

Laura Clippard, Undergraduate Fellowships director and Honors College advisor, said Grigsby leads with purpose and authenticity.

“She steps in, takes responsibility and leads in a way that strengthens both campus and community,” Clippard said. “Victoria represents MTSU in a way that feels genuine, relatable and inspiring.”

With support from scholarships — including the Buchanan Fellowship, MTSU’s highest academic scholarship — and mentorship from faculty, Grigsby studied abroad through a Fulbright U.S.-UK Summer Institute in Wales and later in Germany through a Gilman Scholarship. She also interned with the International Rescue Committee in Washington, D.C., assisting refugee resettlement efforts.

Grigsby’s achievements also earned her national recognition. She received the Phi Kappa Phi Pioneer Award, one of the honor society’s most selective undergraduate distinctions, given to students who pair exceptional scholarship with leadership and service. For Grigsby, the award affirmed that her work from civic engagement on campus to international study had an impact far beyond MTSU.

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, Grigsby will be a guest on the MTSU Honors Spotlight podcast that can be accessed via https://honors.mtsu.edu/honors-spotlight-podcast/.

She recently started a two-year internship at the Tennessee General Assembly working for state Rep. Andrew Farmer. Grigsby also applied to volunteer with the international Peace Corps and plans to apply to graduate programs in international affairs at Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University and George Washington University. Eventually, Grigsby hopes to become a United States diplomat.

“I want to serve people,” Grigsby said. “MTSU gave me the confidence and opportunities to believe that path is possible.”

For Grigsby, the commercial that brought her story to screens and billboards across the region wasn’t about recognition — it was about representation.

“I didn’t realize how widely it would be shared,” she said. “But if my story helps someone else see themselves at MTSU, then it was worth it.”

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)