The Tambellini Group Announces 2020 CIO Award Winners

Irvington, Virginia — March 11, 2020 — The Tambellini Group is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 CIO Awards.

Marilyn T. Smith, Senior Advisor for George Mason University, is the 2020 Individual CIO Award winner and Saint Xavier University, led by Maureen Wogan, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Development and Student Success is the 2020 Innovative Technology Team Winner.

Tambellini, the world’s leading independent market research and analyst firm solely focused on higher education, recognizes that CIOs and tech leaders have become crucially instrumental to the overarching success of colleges and universities. The CIO awards provide a platform to recognize an individual and a technology team that demonstrates excellence in the planning and deployment of modern technology.

Smith took the top honor amid very stiff competition—the fifth annual award saw a 50 percent increase in 2020. “I am delighted and humbled to win this award. I admire and respect the people with whom I work, and I strive to promote understanding and build bridges across the university. I believe the higher education CIO’s job is to motivate and energize people to drive education and research outcomes to benefit students, faculty, and the community through the use of information technology. Communications, problem-solving teamwork, and a learning environment are critical to our success,” Smith remarked.

Smith has worked in higher education for more than ten years both at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and George Mason University. Her nomination highlighted the incredible leadership she brought to each institution and the positive impact she has had nationally working with her fellow CIOs and corporate partners to solve commonly faced issues. “Marilyn is a proven leader in the IT world who has brought her expertise into higher education and achieved great success,” remarked Vicki Tambellini, President and CEO of The Tambellini Group. “Her collaboration with her colleagues and other IT leaders is truly commendable. We are pleased to present Marilyn with the 2020 CIO Award.”

The 2020 Innovative Technology Team award recognized a team of highly motivated and driven professionals from Saint Xavier University (SXU), located in Chicago, IL, and its vision to improve student success. The team members at SXU reorganized several units to put students first and serve them from admission to career. This innovative and new organizational structure brought together Enrollment Management, Advising, Retention, Records and Registration, Career Services, and Student Employment under the umbrella of Student Development and Success. The results were an increase in retention and the number of transfer students.

“We are excited to award Saint Xavier University with the first annual Innovative Technology Team award. Their focus on student success is a prime example of how institutions are working across multiple departments to build relationships with students and provide them with the tools and support they need to be successful,” said Vicki Tambellini. The team was led by Maureen Wogan, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Development and Student Success. Team members included Katy Thompson, Dean of Students; Eileen Luce, Director of Transfer Center; Therese Johnson, Manager Academic Coaching & Support; Brian Hotzfield, AVP Enrollment Management; Sue Swisher, Executive Director, Financial Aid; and Joshua Bogaski-Baugh, Associate Director, Career Services.

When asked about her team’s recognition, Wogan stated, “This award is an incredible honor, and a testimony to an amazing team committed to integrating services to support student success, retention, and graduation. Staff in Enrollment Management, Student Development, and Student Life broke out of silos and blended initiatives to support our students and advance their leadership skills. I am very proud to represent this team and to work with wonderful colleagues like Molly Gaik, a past recipient of the 2016 Dr. Wayne Brown Ed Tech Leader Award. Through high-tech and high-touch, we have provided our students with a transformative experience.“

Tambellini extends special thanks to all those who submitted thoughtful and comprehensive nominations for the 2020 CIO Awards.

About The Tambellini Group
The Tambellini Group is the world’s leading independent technology research and advisory firm dedicated exclusively to higher education. Tambellini offers direct interaction with the top industry analysts and provides custom, data-driven advisory services. The company’s proprietary database of more than 19,900 global institutions’ technology selections and nearly 67,000 listings is unparalleled in the industry. Members leverage Tambellini’s unbiased research on the changing education technology landscape to make fact-based decisions and achieve key strategic goals. Founded in 2001, Tambellini is a woman-owned business headquartered in Irvington, Virginia. thetambellinigroup.com

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Chris McNamee, Vice President of Marketing and Product Strategy
The Tambellini Group
1-800-414-3405
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