Who is Lakeesha Ransom and some of her achievements? “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: 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. (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. Read even more information at Lakeesha Ransom.