Tyseem Lyles

Driven - if there is one word that Tyseem Lyles ‘17 would pick to describe himself that would be it. Originally from Red Hook, Brooklyn he is the second of eight children, “I’m the first out of my siblings to attend college. My father is a building maintenance manager and my mother suffers from sickle cell anemia and is on disability. They inspire me and drive me to succeed.” At Mercy, Lyles is studying Sport Management. He attends Mercy on a scholarship, “If I didn’t have a scholarship I wouldn’t be in college. Mercy College for me has been a blessing - everything from my classmates to the professors, to the campus lift me up - and make me work harder to be the best I can be.”

In a 2015 regular season game against Queens College, Lyles was knocked down on a jump and fractured his skull. He had an impact seizure, and took months to recover and perfect walking again. Today, he is back playing basketball and has two offers to play professionally in Turkey and Peru after graduation.

“I’ve been given opportunities at Mercy College and I plan to make the most of them. Whether it’s on the basketball court or in the classroom, I’m dedicated to achieving my goals and exceeding everyone’s expectations - even my own.”