The growth of an education manager : Lakeesha Ransom? As Dr. Lakeesha Ransom heads to the University of Akron to lead its Honors College as vice provost and dean, a law professor is named interim dean of the UT Jesup Scott Honors College. Ransom joined UT as dean of the Jesup Scott Honors College in early 2013 after a career in corporate, nonprofit, educational and government organizations. She completes her tenure at the end of the month.
Lakeesha Ransom quotes: Lakeesha Ransom, dean of the Williams Honors College – who spearheaded the process to make UA a Hult-affiliated institution – accompanied the group on the trip. In order to be selected for the Hult Competition team, UA students competed in a contest hosted by the Williams Honors College. A panel of judges made up by local business people and UA faculty selected 16 students out of 50 competitors to form teams of four that would develop business proposals. Then, after a presentation of its solution and an interview with Ransom, a team was chosen to represent UA in Dubai.
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 more details on Lakeesha Ransom.