As a small private college operating in an increasingly complex higher education environment, Aquinas College needed access to strategic technology expertise, data-driven insights, and modern operational support while remaining fiscally responsible.
Ellucian Managed Services empower leaders to align technology with mission, modernize at scale, and achieve sustainable, enterprise-wide outcomes.
- Strengthened technology planning aligned with institutional priorities.
- Expanded access to specialized expertise without additional internal hiring.
- Improved utilization of existing technology investments across finance, enrollment, and student operations.
What Managed Services gives us is both a very ground-level detailed view and also a helicopter view of what's happening out there in the world."
Rooted in the Catholic and Dominican tradition, Aquinas College has spent generations preparing students to lead lives of purpose, service, and lifelong learning. Today, the institution continues to build on that legacy by pairing a distinctive student-centered educational experience with a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability.
Like many small private colleges, Aquinas College is navigating an environment shaped by rising operational complexity, growing expectations around technology, and increasing pressure to make every investment count. Rather than treating technology as a back-office function, the college has embraced a broader vision—one where technology leadership plays a central role in advancing institutional priorities and helping the campus make informed decisions for the future.
That vision has been strengthened through Aquinas College's partnership with Ellucian Managed Services. Through the program, the college has gained not only technology support but also strategic leadership, expanded expertise, and access to a broader network of higher education professionals and resources.
Sister Maureen Geary, President of Aquinas College, sees the partnership as a way for the institution to tap into capabilities that would be difficult to replicate independently.
"It just opens up a world of resources that we don't have internally," Geary said. "What Managed Services gives us is both a very ground-level detailed view and also a helicopter view of what's happening out there in the world."
Expanding Expertise Without Expanding Headcount
At the center of the relationship is Bob Wisler, Ellucian Managed Services CIO. As a member of the college's cabinet and leadership team, Wisler has become a trusted advisor who helps connect technology investments to institutional goals.
"[Wisler], personally, has been an incredible resource for us," Geary said. "He absolutely knows what he's doing, but he doesn't use tech speak. He helps all of us figure out what he's suggesting."
In addition to Wisler, one of the greatest advantages of Managed Services for Aquinas is access to a broader network of expertise than the institution could reasonably maintain on its own. Higher education technology environments have become increasingly specialized, requiring knowledge across infrastructure, cybersecurity, student systems, financial aid operations, integrations, analytics, and compliance.
Tim Stafford, Vice President for Finance, noted that the partnership has enabled access to relevant expertise exactly when needed.
"It's nice to know that there's this deeper bench that we can tap into," Stafford said. "Especially for a small college, it's really hard to employ that expertise in every part of our ERP system."
Over time, Ellucian-managed staff have become fully integrated into day-to-day campus operations. Rather than functioning as an outside vendor, the team operates as an extension of the institution.
"Many times people don't realize that they're Ellucian employees," Stafford said. "[Wisler] is a member of our cabinet, and he's at our events. They've been very well integrated."
That integration has helped Aquinas move beyond traditional support models and build collaborative relationships focused on solving institutional challenges.
Making Better Use of Technology Investments
As technology ecosystems grow more complex, Aquinas has worked with Ellucian Managed Services to maximize the value of existing investments while identifying opportunities for improvement.
One area of focus has been improving the utilization of its Ellucian Colleague ERP/SIS and related campus systems. The partnership has helped the institution address reporting needs, optimize workflows, improve financial aid processes, and better understand capabilities that previously went underutilized.
"We started talking about if we were really using the system efficiently," Stafford said. "There were a number of modules that we were not using or that we had never been trained on how to use."
The collaboration has supported initiatives including budgeting enhancements, expanded self-service functionality, reporting improvements, and training for staff navigating turnover and changing responsibilities.
The partnership has also provided guidance on infrastructure planning and lifecycle management that extends far beyond Ellucian technology. According to Geary, Managed Services has helped Aquinas develop a clearer understanding of its technology assets, replacement timelines, and long-term planning needs.
"We now have data around laptops, desktops, switches, servers—when they all need replacement," Geary said. "We've got that inventory and that forecast."
Connecting Technology to Enrollment and Institutional Goals
Admissions is another area where Wisler and the Managed Services team have made an impact at Aquinas. After welcoming its largest freshman class since 2018 last Fall, the institution kept up the momentum this year with another incoming cohort of over 400 students.
Brian Matzke, Vice President for Enrollment Management, explained that Wisler frequently contributes to strategic initiatives that involve enrollment management, process improvement, communication, and institutional planning.
"[Wisler] has really taken it to another level," Matzke said. "We spend more time thinking and strategizing at the systems level versus the departmental level."
As Aquinas continues to focus on enrollment growth and student success, technology integration remains an important priority. Matzke identified opportunities to strengthen connections between systems, reduce manual processes, and increase efficiency across enrollment and financial aid operations.
He also emphasized Wisler's broader role in supporting institutional objectives.
"He looks at things from a systems perspective," Matzke said. "He's been able to come in and not just look at integration of the technology, but at the college's needs as a whole."
Planning for the Future with Confidence
Looking ahead, Aquinas sees continued opportunity to strengthen data-informed decision-making, modernize technology capabilities, and evaluate future options that can support institutional sustainability and growth.
For Stafford, the future centers on gaining greater value from institutional data and leveraging emerging technologies to help the college operate efficiently while supporting its mission.
"Our need for data is continuing to grow," Stafford said. "How do we better utilize our data to make decisions? How do we look at the next step in technology that's available and implement it to help us grow and stay lean in terms of expenses?"
Aquinas' partnership with Ellucian is ultimately about more than technology. It is about trusted collaboration and leadership, expanding institutional capacity, and ensuring the college has the expertise needed to navigate an evolving higher education landscape with confidence.
"They see our success as part of their success," Stafford said.
