Clarkson elects Mohawk chief to board of trustees

POTSDAM — A chief of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council has been elected to Clarkson University's board of trustees.

James W. Ransom, who earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the college in 1988, will serve on the academic affairs and student affairs committees.

"I feel privileged and honored to have the opportunity. I had a terrific experience when I was there as an undergrad and I'm looking forward to participating with the rest of the board in helping to guide the university going forward," Mr. Ransom said.

Having worked for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and the Akwesasne community in various capacities for 28 years, Mr. Ransom is now serving in his third term as chief.

College President Anthony G. Collins said he was interested in increasing local ties and diversity on the board when he first discussed with the chief the possibility of his becoming a trustee, Mr. Ransom said.

"To have that local connection was important to him in terms of having a more diverse board," he said. "The good news is that the number of women going to Clarkson is increasing and the number of people of color going there are increasing. I'd like to add the number of Native American students to that list."

When Mr. Ransom was an undergraduate, he was one of nearly a dozen American Indian students on campus. Now, there are only two or three, he said.

"I hope to work with the university to change that," Mr. Ransom said. "My community has a tremendous need for individuals with skills in the science and health fields. There are opportunities to build much better relationships with Clarkson and our communities to help us meet that need."

One thing that made a difference for Mr. Ransom when he was a student was having a professor who encouraged him and other minority students to excel.

He said Edward T. Misiaszek Sr., an emeritus professor of civil engineering who died in 2005, was like a second father to him. The Polish-born professor helped to establish the first student chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society on campus.

"We need a champion within Clarkson to more actively encourage our students to go there," Mr. Ransom said.

Mr. Ransom earned his associate's degree in civil technology from the former Canton Agricultural and Technical College, the predecessor to SUNY Canton, before attending Clarkson.

Before he was elected tribal chief, Mr. Ransom helped found the St. Regis Mohawk tribe's environmental program in 1978, and served as its director until 1990. He also was the first director of the Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force, which helped to develop environmental programs for the Cayuga, Tonawanda Seneca and Tuscarora nations.

Mr. Ransom is chairman of the tribe's education committee, which is creating a 10-year strategic plan that includes the development of a tribal college.

He also recently completed a five-year term on the Salmon River Central School Board of Education, and previously served on the parent committee for the Akwesasne Freedom School.

Mr. Ransom is a member of the New York State Environmental Board, which oversees the state Department of Environmental Conservation. He also is on the board of directors for the Onake Corporation, which is a nonprofit group that promotes Mohawk culture.

He lives in Akwesasne with his wife Karla. The couple has two adult children, Beynan and Kyrie.