VILLANOVA, PA — Villanova University has announced the recent appointment of Tej Patel as the new Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective September 9. This decision follows a comprehensive national search that attracted a strong pool of candidates nationwide.
“The importance of a strong IT strategy and infrastructure on university campuses cannot be overstated, which is why I am delighted to have someone with Tej’s experience and vision at the helm of our IT department,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “Tej’s extensive and varied IT knowledge will be invaluable to Villanova as we seek to enhance all aspects of our IT infrastructure and governance. I look forward to working with him as a member of my University leadership team.”
In his new role, Patel will be responsible for overseeing Villanova’s technology strategy to support teaching, learning, research, operations, and the student experience. His duties will include enhancing coordination across IT services, engaging with stakeholders to identify technological needs, and leveraging technology to create intuitive service experiences.
Patel will also work on expanding the use of technology in teaching and research, completing the transition to a new learning management system, upgrading classroom technology, and enhancing research computing capabilities. He aims to improve IT planning and governance processes to support Villanova’s commitment to shared governance.
“Villanova is a vibrant and forward-thinking institution, and I’m truly honored to become a part of this remarkable community,” said Patel. “I am excited to represent and work alongside the talented technology team at Villanova, and I look forward to collaborating with colleagues across campus—from Father Peter and the leadership team to the board of trustees, deans, alumni, faculty, staff, and students.”
Patel joins Villanova from Stevens Institute of Technology, where he served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer. During his tenure, he led significant improvements in the IT organization, enhancing processes, defining shared values, and investing in new capabilities. He also managed multiple University-wide initiatives, including deploying an identity and access management system and overseeing enterprise resource planning implementations.
“I am thrilled to welcome Tej to Villanova and look forward to working closely with him as he guides the University’s information technology strategy into the future,” said Roger Demareski, Villanova University Executive Vice President. “Throughout the process, we were extremely impressed with Tej’s background and experience, his proven ability to build strong teams and deliver high customer service, and his knowledge of best practices, regulatory requirements, and emerging technologies.”
Before his tenure at Stevens, Patel was the Chief Information Officer for Penn Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and held various IT roles at UPenn’s Annenberg School for Communication. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems from Montclair State University and a Wharton Executive Global C-Suite Diploma from the University of Pennsylvania.
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