The rise of an educational leader : Lakeesha Ransom

Get to know Lakeesha Ransom and some of her thoughts? “Lakeesha’s diverse professional background enabled her to enhance the reputation of our Jesup Scott Honors College, and we thank her and wish her the best in her new position,” Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Barrett said. “Kelly Moore truly embraces our culture as a student-centered university and will continue the ongoing efforts to elevate the college as we attract and serve more well-prepared students.”

Lakeesha Ransom quotes: Dean Ransom said, “This extremely generous donation will help us advance several different initiatives that are part of our new strategic plan. That plan focuses on developing a rigorous, transformative learning experience to produce citizen-leaders with a global mindset, a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving and exceptional interpersonal skills across cultures. At the heart of our proposed curricula are design-thinking principles, which combine technology and the social sciences to better understand what people need and develop tailored solutions to real challenges in today’s world.”

Lakeesha Ransom publications : Ransom, L. (2003). Student membership on governing boards. Paper presented at the Association of Governing Boards Annual Meeting: Seattle, Washington. Ransom, L. (2002). Interpretative inquiry: Discovering meaning in research. Paper presented at the Management Doctoral Student Association Annual Meeting: Denver, Colorado. Ransom, L. (2002). Emotional intelligence and leadership: An overview. Paper presented at the 21st Century Renaissance Youth Leaders Invitation Program, Tokyo, Japan.

If we believe Benjamin Franklin’s old adage, “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” But today’s student loan market can discourage many young people from realizing their potential through higher education. As a result, I was thrilled to accept an invitation to chair The University of Akron Williams Honors College Alumni Board’s Endowed Scholarship Committee, which selects a junior in The University of Akron Williams Honors College to receive a scholarship to defray the costs of their senior year of study, allowing them instead to focus on successfully completing their college education while also juggling post-graduation plans.

“As a dean, I think those experiences helped me understand the value of different constituent voices,” Ransom says. “Having the ability to think openly and broadly about grand challenges and opportunities, collect information and data from disparate areas on campus, and aggregate it to a more strategic level—much of that I attribute to my time on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.” Despite sit-ins and other protests, the board, including Ransom, ultimately voted yes. “It was a very difficult decision for everyone involved,” she says. “Everyone was perplexed in how to manage it. It helped me see myself as just another member of the board.” Ransom’s experience as a regent, where she helped govern a complex institution with varied stakeholders, perspectives, and missions, got her interested in higher education. See extra information on Lakeesha Ransom.