Indian American Tej Patel Appointed IT Vice President and CIO at Villanova University
- In his new role, he will oversee the institution’s overall technology strategy to support teaching, learning, research, operations and the student experience.
Villanova University has appointed Tej Patel as vice president for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective Sept. 9. In his new role, the Indian American will “oversee the university’s overall technology strategy to support teaching, learning, research, operations and the student experience,” according to a Villanova press release.
He will also be “responsible for expanding opportunities to facilitate the use of technology in teaching and research, as well as completing the university’s transition to a new learning management system, upgrading classroom technology, and expanding research computing capabilities,” the press release said. Additionally, he will work to enhance IT planning and governance processes to support Villanova’s commitment to shared governance.
In a statement, Patel said he’s “truly honored” to become a part of the “remarkable community” of “the vibrant and forward-thinking” institution. “I am excited to represent and work alongside the talented technology team at Villanova, and I look forward to collaborating with colleagues across campus,” the statement read.
Patel joins Villanova from Stevens Institute of Technology, where he served as vice president and chief information officer. During his tenure, he led a comprehensive improvement of Stevens’ IT organization—improving processes, defining shared values and culture, and investing in new capabilities.
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.