Two College of Arts and Sciences staff members are the recipients of Ohio State’s 2012 Distinguished Staff Award, the university’s highest honor for nonteaching employees.

Terry Bradley, systems manager, Department of Physics, and Jane Harper, office associate, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, were selected for their contributions to the quality of life for all people they encounter at work, including university colleagues, students and members of the community.

Bradley and Harper were presented the recipients with a $1,500 honorarium and a crystal trophy, and each had $700 added to their base salaries.

The recognition program is sponsored by Ohio State’s Office of Human Resources.

Terry Bradley
Technically, Terry Bradley’s official role as systems manager in the Physics department is to support the technology for department classrooms and instructional labs. But, as her colleagues attest, Bradley “does so much more for the department and the university at large.”

As systems manager, Bradley must ensure classrooms are running efficiently, which is important considering a single day’s outage can mean a class misses an entire week’s worth of lab experience.

“In her role supporting classrooms, Terry is hard-working and effective,” wrote a nominator. “The technology classroom is a demanding environment. Terry has demonstrated the willingness and drive to ensure systems run properly, all while working to integrate new ideas, software and equipment.”

Bradley also supports the Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors (FEH) program, which brings together students and faculty from Engineering, Physics and Mathematics for integrated instruction.

According to one nominator, “A major aspect leading to the success of the FEH program is the continued cooperation among the three departments. Terry selflessly assists us whenever we have a need or question that calls for her expertise. Without her involvement, our program would not be nearly as strong as it is.”

But what makes Bradley an outstanding Ohio State staff member is her dedication to numerous other areas of the university. She has been active in the Staff Advisory Committees, involved with the Registrar’s office, assists with the Engineering Education Innovation Center and even volunteers for Pelotonia.

“All of these items are beyond the scope of her specific job,” wrote a nominator, “and they serve to promote cooperation and thus improve the environment in the department, college and university.”

Jane Harper
As an office associate at Ohio State, one is expected to be a welcoming presence to all who interact with a department. Jane Harper, who’s been wih the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures for five years, goes above and beyond traditional duties. As one nominator put it, “Jane’s title of office associate hardly begins to describe the work she does for the department.”

Though she does so much more than what her role requires, Harper excels in her office duties. “These include being our receptionist, and no one could make people feel more welcome, either on the phone or in person,” wrote a colleague. “She is the best possible ‘first glimpse’ of our department.”

Harper also distinguishes herself in the department through her dedication to the graduate admissions process. As one colleague puts it, she was “absolutely essential” in reorganizing the process as the program grew. She set up a consistent and effective filing system for applications, reviews all materials with meticulous detail and communicated between prospective students, the Near Eastern Languages department, Graduate Admissions Office and the Graduate School.

Once graduate students arrive on campus, Harper offers constant support to them, many of which are international students.

“She is a kind of rock to them, constantly giving advice on how to live at OSU and providing consistent emotional support,” wrote a nominator. “I cannot count the number of graduate students who have come to me and expressed gratitude for Jane’s kindness to them.”