| |NOVEMBER 20258EUROPEEUROPETECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS THAT DRIVE EDUCATION SECTORIN MY OPINION Journey and Insights of a Transformational LeaderMy professional career in higher education has been guided by a commitment to equity and student success. At the University of Hartford, where I spent over nine years, I gained a deep appreciation for the transformative power of access and support in higher education. Teaching courses across various departments, I saw how students thrived when advising, resources and belonging were prioritized.My doctoral dissertation demonstrated that advising is not just transactional but deeply tied to retention and completion, especially for underserved students. Those experiences shaped my philosophy: decisions must be data-informed and equity-driven and leadership must create structures that remove barriers. Today, as Director of Student Success Technology at Connecticut State Community College, I oversee platforms such as CRM Advise, our holistic case management tool, and coordinate institution-wide surveys to elevate the student voice. The merger of our 12 colleges into CT State Community College reinforced my belief that success requires both technological infrastructure and human relationships. My role is about integrating tools and best practices so advisors, faculty and staff can act quickly and equitably in supporting students.A good leader manages systems effectively and ensures that tools are functioning as intended. A transformative leader goes further, aligning technology with mission, equity and culture. They inspire teams by emphasizing that technology itself is not the ultimate objective; rather, it is a tool to enhance student learning, improve advising, and support equitable outcomes across the institution. Transformative leaders build coalitions across departments, fostering collaboration between IT, advising and academic leadership. They cultivate trust -- showing transparency in how data is used and empowering the staff through training and professional growth. Most importantly, they center student outcomes, asking not just "Is this system efficient?" but "Does this help students persist, complete and belong?" That orientation distinguishes leaders who make incremental changes from those who create sustainable, systemic transformations.At CT State, technology plays an increasingly central role in advancing equity and persistence. We are unifying advising and student support across 12 campuses, while respecting each location's identity. Tools like CRM Advise provide advisors with timely data on student engagement, course progress and risk factors. Real-time feedback surveys add the student voice, INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY WITH STUDENT SUCCESS STRATEGIESBy Michael Goemans, Director of Student Success Technology, Connecticut State Community CollegeMichael Goemansis the Director of Student Success Technology at Connecticut State Community College. He has Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from University of Hartford, where he focused his interests on advising frequency and persistence and building a foundation of research showing how student engagement correlates with outcomes.Michael Goemans
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