Outstanding Administrators of 2021 announced

Ohio University’s Administrative Senate has named three employees the Outstanding Administrators of 2021. 

The award recipients are:

• Bose Maposa, assistant director for graduate programs, Center for International Studies
• Miriam Intrator, special collections librarian, University Libraries
• Peter Lim, applications support analyst and IT coordinator, Eastern campus

First given in 1975, Outstanding Administrator Awards are conferred each year to three individuals who exemplify creativity and innovation, along with distinguished service to Ohio University. The winners are chosen by an Administrative Senate committee after a nomination period and an extensive interview process. 

The Outstanding Administrator Award is considered the University’s highest honor for administrative employees, and each year the pool of interview finalists presents the committee with difficult selection decisions. The recipients of this award are more than deserving of praise for what they accomplish, often behind the scenes. 

A virtual ceremony to honor the 2021 Outstanding Administrators will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 27. More details will be released closer to the date. 

Read more about this year’s three recipients:

Bose Maposa, assistant director for graduate programs, Center for International Studies

Maposa provides administrative oversight and management of the Center for International Studies’ graduate programs, supports graduate student recruitment and retention, and manages the center’s communication and relations with affiliated faculty and alumni. She also provides leadership for Ohio University’s Global COIL Initiative (Collaborative Online International Learning) and ensures students have the opportunity to maximize their experience at Ohio University by connecting them with faculty and staff across the university.

A sampling of comments by colleagues:

• Maposa is viewed as someone who goes above and beyond to support and encourage others. Her global perspective and ability to meet people where they are and appreciate their strengths and challenges is a driving force behind expanding the university’s global partnerships and improving student experiences.
• Maposa uses her emotional intelligence to solve challenging problems, including in her work with the Global COIL Initiative. Her colleagues recognize her use of technology to challenge work across disciplines in bold ways that include breaking siloed approaches to research topics, recognizing when things aren’t working, and understanding best approaches to problem-solving. 
• Her work has expanded international collaborations, particularly in Africa, and has formed connections across the globe for faculty and students. Additionally, her role in leading recruitment efforts within the Center for International Studies has successfully increased international diversity at Ohio University and has altogether increased the University’s profile.
• Maposa is a leader in building connection and representation through her work with the Sports Africa Board, the creation of the African Studies Alumni & Friends Network and the garage-giveaway program. These are examples of her ability to identify a need and coordinate resources and connections to facilitate meaningful action, as well as the importance she places on cultivating a sense of community. 

Miriam Intrator, special collections librarian, University Libraries

Intrator serves as special collections librarian for rare books at the Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center and serves as liaison librarian to all university honors programs. She co-leads the Mahn Center’s instruction program, providing support to students, faculty and staff through teaching, outreach and research consultations, connecting students and scholars with the physical materials in the collections. 

A sampling of comments by colleagues:

• Intrator has been praised as an outstanding educator and an award-winning scholar, with exemplary productivity. Colleagues describe her as fair-minded, open, compassionate, creative and innovative. Her signature strength is her passion to engage OHIO students, faculty and staff, as well as the greater community, with the archival collections.
• When Intrator started, there were fewer than six courses that used the archives. By building personal relationships with faculty, she increased participation to more than 100 courses across 20 departments. The displays that she and her colleagues have worked on—from archival health records from the Ridges Asylum to vintage dance cards to homecoming items—engage students so much that they often stay for hours to carry on the conversation. She also has developed successful self-directed asynchronous online modules.
• Intrator explores creative ways to connect with the community at OHIO and in the region while seeking ways to leverage relationships with other departments/units on campus to increase impact. She co-led the campus and community committee to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th Amendment. She initiated an outreach program to K-12 classes in the Athens area to introduce more students to original primary source materials at an early age. She mentors two early career librarians and has participated in the Women’s Center mentorship program. She also co-led a library collaboration with the Witmer Lab, Innovation Center and faculty from Classics and Religious Studies to use 3D technology to bring ancient artifacts to life. 

Peter Lim, applications support analyst and IT coordinator, Eastern campus

Lim is responsible for ensuring digital equipment and connectivity for all staff and students and for planning and executing sustained digital connectivity and equipment maintenance for Ohio University’s Eastern Campus. 

A sampling of comments from colleagues:

• Colleagues enthusiastically praise Lim as being thoroughly dedicated to his job and the campus, setting the highest standard for himself, and being a consummate team player and great listener who is both understanding and fair. Colleagues unanimously laud his positive attitude and can-do approach, even in the face of challenges. Lim is considered not only an exemplary service provider but a mentor to all.
• Lim’s service during the pandemic was particularly praised by colleagues, and he was considered ahead of the curve in overall preparedness. As staff faced the sudden requirement to undertake virtual learning, he was unfailingly attentive, including patiently training – or undertaking preparations for – staff with less computer literacy. He is called “The best of the best IT professional,” and described as “treating everyone with respect – students get the same care and quality of service as the dean.” He is cited as “crucial to the success of our campus.”
• In addition to over 25 years of IT service to Eastern Campus and now an extended service area, Lim has shown remarkable and prescient innovation in enabling everything from the University’s first web server and website, to creating Ohio University’s inaugural online courses, to investing in Eastern’s first 3D printers. As a volunteer he has engaged in both on-campus and community instruction, training and collaboration in theatrical performances, ballroom dance and Bible study.