Distinguished Alumni
Michael A. Lytle
Awarded 2003
A 1973 graduate of Indiana University at Bloomington, with degrees in forensic studies and political science, Michael A. Lytle went on to receive his graduate certificate from the Institute of Contemporary Corrections and the Behavioral Sciences at SHSU in 1977.
He earned his Master of Education degree in educational curriculum and instruction from Texas A&M University in 1978 and did a postgraduate doctoral study at Texas A&M between 1978 and 1983 on higher education administration and public management.
Before attending Indiana University at Bloomington, Lytle served as an U.S. Army officer from 1969-1972, in both domestic and Vietnam assignments. He was later recalled to active duty for both Operation Desert Shield and Bosnia. Ultimately attaining the ranking of Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Reserve, he is the recipient of the Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal and Meritorious Service Medal with 2nd Oak Leak Cluster, among others.
In 1974 he became a law enforcement trainer at the Southeast Tennessee Criminal Justice Higher Education Consortium, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Cleveland State Community College and the Chattanooga Police Academy.
He worked in seven different positions within the Texas A&M University System, including positions as a graduate teaching assistant, assistant to the chancellor, assistant director of governmental relations and special assistant to the chancellor in federal relations.
In addition, Lytle has taken positions at Syracuse University, the University of Texas at Brownsville, Lutheran Colleges’ Washington Semester and the Office of Legal Policy within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense.
Currently he is working as a senior research associate at Science Applications International Corporation, where he is a senior subject-matter expert on law enforcement, intelligence, counternarcotics and counterterrorism and provides consulting and advisory services to government agencies.
In addition, Lytle is an adjunct professor at Marymount University, in Arlington, Va., where he has developed, and now coordinates and teaches in, the only bachelor degree level forensic science program in the Greater Washington DC area.
He has been involved with many international, national, institutional and other governmental organizations affiliated with criminal justice, political and educational fields.
He has given approximately 23 presentations and prepared15 publications dealing with both domestic and foreign issues and has taught many graduate, undergraduate and certificate-granting classes on management, forensic and criminal justice-related issues. Lytle is also listed in Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Science & Engineering and American Men & Women of Science.
Lytle, who resides in Alexandria, Va., is a lifetime member of the SHSU Alumni Association, a donor to the Annual Fund and a member of the Friends of the Criminal Justice Center.
Lytle has one son, Eric Lindqvist Lytle, also of Alexandria.