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Ako-Adounvo recognized with Glass Breaker award

Gifty Ako-Adounvo, assistant vice provost for global strategies and international affairs and the university's interim senior international officer, has been selected as one of Ohio State’s 2018 Glass Breakers – women who help shape the university’s culture in positive ways – by the President and Provost’s Council on Women (PPCW).

The PPCW is supported through The Women’s Place and is charged with advocating to the president and the provost for the advancement of all women at Ohio State and providing leadership for the development of policies and practices that positively affect the working environment for women employed at Ohio State. One of the PPCW’s initiatives is designed to shine a spotlight on women faculty and staff who have utilized their extraordinary career accomplishments and leadership at Ohio State to inspire other women across campus to embrace their power and achieve their career goals. These women are called “Glass Breakers.”

This year's honorees include:

• Lisa Abrams, associate chair, Department of Engineering Education
• Gifty Ako-Adounvo, Assistant vice provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs
• Karen Dennis, director of men’s and women’s track and field/cross country
• Joanna Groden, professor and vice chair; co-director Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program; director, Pelotonia Fellowship Program [College of Medicine]
• Phyllis Teater, chief information officer, Wexner Medical Center
• Tracy Tylka, professor of psychology, Ohio State Marion

Ako-Adounvo has been at Ohio State since 2004. She previously was an assistant professor of classics and African American and African Studies before moving into administrative positions including the director of International Students and Scholars at the Office of International Affairs and in her current role as assistant vice provost.

A few insights into her leadership style include:

• Opportunities for growth: “I urge (staff) to identify those things that they love or are sufficiently passionate about and pursue those. It may be serving on a committee or workgroup in an area for which that individual has great interest or passion.”
• Leadership style: “I care about the work that we do and since it is people that do this work, I always put people first.”
• Career advice for women: “We need to speak up for ourselves because it is important not just for us but for our institution. Finally, we should embrace our communities. This is where we live, this is our home, so get involved and live in it to the fullest.”

Interviews with each of the honorees can be viewed at The Women's Place.