Carol Smith serves as the Chief Information Officer at DePauw University, a private liberal arts institution in Greencastle, Indiana. With more than three decades of experience at DePauw, Carol brings a unique blend of institutional knowledge, technical expertise, and a deep passion for higher education. Starting her career as a computer science and English literature double major, Carol has transformed her understanding of technology from programming and systems to empowering people through digital tools. Her leadership in building collaborative IT communities, optimizing shared resources, and driving strategic innovation has had a lasting impact across the higher education sector.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Why community collaboration is essential in higher ed IT
- How the HESS Consortium amplifies small college voices
- The value of peer mentorship for CIOs
- How to build diverse and agile IT teams
- Why agility matters more than aptitude in hiring
- The balance between open innovation and strict cybersecurity
- Carol's path from coder to CIO at her alma mater
In this episode…
Carol Smith shares how her three-decade journey at DePauw University has been shaped by the powerful community of IT professionals in higher education. She reflects on the challenges of managing a lean IT team while delivering services at the same standard as large universities. By leveraging partnerships like the HESS Consortium and participating in organizations such as EDUCAUSE, Carol has helped her institution stay competitive and cost-efficient.
She emphasizes the value of peer mentoring and external CIO networks, especially in smaller institutions where internal role peers are limited. This connection has not only enriched her career but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and support that sustains longevity in leadership roles. Carol explains how developing shared strategies, aligning with vendor ecosystems, and participating in joint service models help create scalable solutions across institutions.
The conversation also dives into the delicate balance between security and innovation in a university setting. Carol highlights how higher education IT is uniquely positioned to straddle the worlds of open access and enterprise-grade protection. She closes by discussing her hiring philosophy—valuing agility over pure technical depth—and shares her origin story, including a formative moment using a word processor as an undergrad that changed her perspective on the purpose of technology.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Matthew Connor on LinkedIn
CyberLynx
Carol Smith on LinkedIn
DePauw University Website
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