Get to know Lakeesha Ransom and some of her research? “One of the things I appreciate most about my time at UT was the opportunity to work with faculty and staff across the University to create momentum within the Jesup Scott Honors College,” Ransom said. “It is an exciting time at UT. Even though I won’t be here to participate, I am excited to see what the next level will be for the Jesup Scott Honors College and the University.”
Lakeesha Ransom quotes: With a 15-year career working in corporate, not-for-profit, educational and government organizations, Ransom currently serves as Dean of the Jesup Scott Honors College at the University of Toledo. She has previously worked as Senior Manager of Emerging Business at Best Buy, Inc., visiting professor at Assumption University in Thailand and a member of the Minnesota Board of Regents. Most recently, she served as a principal of Mariposa Global, a firm that provides consultation services to Fortune 200 companies, government agencies and other organizations on strategic management, learning and leadership development.
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. Discover additional info at Lakeesha Ransom.