Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has taken on a new role in the Midwest as a visiting professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy. Lightfoot, who served as mayor from May 2019 to May 2023, will co-teach a strategic public policy course this fall, working with graduate students and partnering with social impact non-profit organizations in both Chicago and Michigan.
Lightfoot shared her vision with the Ford School of Public Policy, stating, “I have founded a non-profit aimed at supporting community-based organizations in building the internal structures necessary to sustain their efforts for the benefit of their communities. These organizations often play a crucial role in their neighborhoods, contributing to the vitality of these areas. To bring this vision to life, we need a dedicated group of consultants who understand the importance of community-based work and are committed to collaborating with local stakeholders to offer their expertise and help solve problems.”
Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes expressed enthusiasm for Lightfoot’s appointment, noting that her extensive experience as a public servant will provide students with a rich and diverse perspective.
Lightfoot, a 1984 graduate of the University of Michigan, also taught a course last fall at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, within the Health Policy and Management Department.
In March, Shine My Crown reported on Lightfoot dealing with enemies and what it takes to succeed.
She began with the rigors of being the mayor of a big city, stating it is “a really, really hard job. There are a lot of people shooting at you. You’ve got to know who your enemies are and know that they’re working every single day to undermine you. I don’t know that I totally appreciated that early on.”
To get over this hurdle, she said she had to remind herself why she got into politics and public service.
“You’ve got to make sure that what you’re doing reflects the lived experience of the people you’re supposed to be helping. That means going into the community and listening — and sometimes facing a lot of hostility, because people are cynical,” adding that to be a public servant, you must be willing to “take your licking.”
The COVID pandemic, she acknowledged, was what made her a better leader. During the onset, she had to quickly learn how to become adept in crisis management, crisis communications, how to build consensus, comfort and trust.
“Every leader has their moment, and that was mine.”
