Name: Theodore Ransaw

Degree: ‘12 Ph.D. Curriculum & Instruction

Current Employer: Michigan State University

Why did you choose UNLV? What led you to pursue a degree in education?

All of the women in my family are teachers. All the way up to my great-grandmothers on both sides. When my mom started grad school at UNLV, she took me to the library with her. I remember watching my mother pull out books and go through the process of gathering stuff she needed. I enjoyed UNLV. I never had any thoughts about going elsewhere ‘cause it was the first place I went to.

Did you have a mentor while you were at UNLV? Why is this important?

Dr. Green and Ambassador Young are the last two remaining living icons of Dr. King’s inner circle. They spent a lot of time guiding me, preparing me, giving me advice, and going the right way. I still talk to them regularly. One of the reasons it has been most important to me is that I learned a lot about how to handle people, run meetings, and strategize.

What’s a fun fact about you?

I practice Kung Fu. I’ve been training in Kung Fu for around 27 to 28 years. Kung Fu is not really a competition. It’s more about the journey. I also wound up meeting a lot of the UFC fighters. When you’re a martial artist, very rarely do you get a chance to meet all of the top boxers, Jiu-Jitsu guys, and Muay Thai guys in one room. That was super cool.

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