Get to know Lakeesha Ransom and some of her achievements? 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. (2012). Rural Entrepreneurship and Climate-Smart Agriculture: Engagement, Collaboration, and Innovation. Plenary presentation given at the Second Global Conference of Agriculture, Climate Change, and Food Security hosted by the World Economic Forum and United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization. Hanoi; Vietnam. Ransom, L. (2011). Traversing the Boundaries of Knowledge: Exploring the Role of Interdisciplinary Research in Innovation and New Industry Formation. Paper presented at the First International Conference on Interdisciplinary Research and Development: Bangkok, Thailand.
At our annual Alumni and Student Breakfast held April 8, 2017, the Committee honored ten outstanding seniors, the recipient of the The John B. and Kathryn M. Hunter Award in Community Leadership and Service, and the 2017 Endowed Scholarship winner, Neil Bernard. Neil is a native of South Africa who chose The University of Akron Williams Honors College to begin his educational journey towards becoming a doctor, and he was selected for his excellent scholastic accomplishments, in addition to his civic engagement. Looking to the future, I hope to continue fostering relationships between University of Akron students, alumni, and Akron’s community leaders, ideally to help Akron maintain bright, driven young people. I am extremely grateful to State and Federal Communications, Inc. for supporting me in this goal.
“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. Find additional information at Lakeesha Ransom.