LEWISBURG – In the heart of Marshall County’s town square, the latest Everywhere You Look, UT mural reflects the University of Tennessee’s impact, even on those who aren’t alumni.
Painted on the side of the Law Office of Louisa Jackson Davis and Southern Charm Title and Escrow, a building dating back to at least 1909, the mural will be seen by an estimated 7,700 passersby each day. It marks county number 66 and mural number 73 in the statewide campaign.
Louisa Davis hopes the mural highlights both the power of a UT education and the ways graduates bring that influence back to their communities.
“The location of my building is in the center of our county and a cornerstone of our town square, which made it the perfect location for this mural,” Davis said. “UT roots run really deep in our community. UT has always played a significant role in our community, not only through education, but also through the UT AgResearch program that’s located in Lewisburg. The mural will highlight the influence of the UT System in our county and be a great focal point for visitors and our community.”
Beyond her work as an attorney, she also invests in the future of others. As president of the county’s Young Professionals’ organization, she is involved with community leaders, many of whom have ties to UT.
“UT offers a great education for everyone,” said Davis, who graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and the Nashville School of Law. “Accessibility to education is especially significant in rural areas like ours. With numerous UT locations, like UT Southern, located just 30 minutes from here, everyone has easy access to the UT System. Education, whether traditional or agricultural, is vital to the future of our community, state and nation.”
Her building, she said, reflects her value of service and community. In addition to housing her law firm and title company, the upstairs provides space for a charity that collects clothing for the underprivileged children of the county.
Even though Davis didn’t graduate from UT, her career has been shaped by it — whether working with UT alumni, being mentored by them or having UT interns at her law office.
Brady Phillips, a senior studying public relations at UT Knoxville, interned at the Law Office of Louisa Jackson Davis. She first learned about the Everywhere You Look, UT campaign after perusing her grandfather’s copy of Our Tennessee, the university’s alumni magazine.
In the spring of 2025, Phillips took a professional studies class taught by Ellie Dougherty, who oversees the campaign. When she realized there wasn’t a mural in her hometown of Marshall County, she made it her mission to find a location for one.
After considering several sites, Phillips and Dougherty agreed that the Law Office of Louisa Jackson Davis was the perfect location – and Davis was enthusiastic about joining the campaign. Phillips was thrilled when the plan came together and even climbed a 30-foot ladder to measure the mural’s future home.
For Phillips, the mural became a way to connect her love for her hometown with her love for UT Knoxville.
“When I saw Everywhere You Look, UT for the first time, it resonated with me because that has been my whole life,” Phillips said. “I’ve always loved UT, and, somehow, it’s always found a way to me. Bringing the mural to my hometown was important because that’s how l’ve always been – everywhere I’ve looked has pointed to UT. Bringing that goodness and sense of community back home was really important to me.”
Davis said she’s proud to host a mural that connects back to an institution that has shaped her life through its alumni and future alumni like Phillips.
“UT alumni have been a huge part of my career,” Davis said. “My legal mentor, good friend and past employer, Lee Bussart, a local judge, is a UT alumnus. Judge Bussart embodies professionalism, service of community and the volunteer spirit. I would not be where I am today without her.”
Davis hopes the mural reminds people that UT’s influence extends far beyond campus borders and impacts those outside of alumni.
“I’m hoping that it will bring awareness that no matter where you may live or what your personal background may be, that UT influences your life both indirectly and directly, every single day,” Davis said. “If you’re like me and you have an indirect influence, you’re an alumni or current UT student or you’re a farmer and you gain access to knowledge from the UTIA programs, I want people to understand that the influence of UT is everywhere.”
To learn more about the Everywhere You Look, UT mural in Marshall County or to submit a location for consideration, visit the campaign website.
