Gifty Ako-Adounvo is Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Rhode Island. As Vice Provost and Senior International Officer Dr. Ako-Adounvo provides innovative vision and strategic leadership in advancing the internationalization of the University. Working with university leadership, faculty and staff, she facilitates all initiatives critical to the University’s academic strategic plan. She also has administrative oversight of the International Center which comprises the Office of International Education, Office of International Students and Scholars, National Student Exchange, and International Strategic Partnerships.
Committed to the integrality of global perspectives to the development of students as engaged global citizens and leaders who will help resolve our interdependent world’s challenges, Dr. Ako-Adounvo has worked in the field of international affairs for over twenty years. Prior to joining URI she served as Assistant Vice Provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs at the Ohio State University where she had oversight for the university’s international engagement which included education abroad, international partnerships, international students and scholars, area studies, Global One Health, and Global Gateway offices in China, India, and Brazil. She also served on the faculty in the departments of Classics and African American & African Studies. She has also held leadership and teaching positions at University of Maryland University College and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her PhD (1999) in Classical Studies from McMaster University in Canada; MA Classical Studies (1992) from McMaster University; and BA Hons. (1988) Classics, English, Laws, from University of Ghana.