Political Science Grad Ernestine Lyons Works for Detroit and Harper Woods

Ernestine R. Lyons

Business Opportunity Coordinator, City of Detroit

Councilwoman, City of Harper Woods

Born and Raised in Detroit, Ernestine Lyons always had a passion for politics and dreamt of leaving her mark on the world. Her small business, Linglobal, teaches Metro Detroit kids about the importance of learning a foreign language and traveling. Her nonprofit establishes scholarships for them to do so, in addition to capacity building in neighborhoods.

She has a Master's degree in International Relations and Political Science from Wayne State University and served on the Student Senate. Lyons speaks 4 languages, among them Russian and Mandarin Chinese, and has traveled to over 17 countries. She also studied at St. Petersburg State Economics University in Russia analyzing emerging markets and developing economies. Prior to that she studied at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China and University of Johannesburg in South Africa.

She works for the City of Detroit and is currently a Harper Woods City Council member. She served as a Commissioner on the Harper Woods Planning Commission for 6 years and established "Soup and Pedal to Porch" in Harper Woods. She has worked for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on Immigrant Affairs and Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity as Business Opportunity Coordinator. She has also organized grassroots campaigns for the Harper Woods School Board.

Ernestine Lyons - another successful graduate of the Department of Political Science!