Building a Stronger Future Together

Challenge

At Huston-Tillotson University, the leadership team recognized a growing challenge: outdated systems were limiting the institution’s ability to make data-driven decisions and support student success effectively.

“Everyone knows in higher ed that enrollment matters. And so we began to look at partners because our systems were just not serving us well,” said Dr. Melva.

Across departments, staff were spending countless hours trying to pull meaningful reports from disconnected systems. The time and effort required to get accurate information hindered strategic planning and created frustration.

“They were faced daily with the challenges of not having the tools to be successful—spending hours, countless hours of time and energy trying to get reports that make sense,” said Dr. Melva. “And to see your teams struggling in that way, how long do you want to live in dysfunction?”

It became clear that the university needed a technology partner—not just a vendor—that could bring both innovation and alignment with Huston-Tillotson’s mission as an HBCU.

Solution

The university began a comprehensive review of technology partners, evaluating leading providers across higher education. As an institution located in Austin—a city known for innovation and technology—the leadership team knew they couldn’t afford to be behind the curve.

Huston-Tillotson selected Ellucian as its long-term technology partner, moving forward with modern solutions that would bring integrated data, better reporting, and a seamless experience for students and staff alike.

“It was imperative for me to investigate partnerships that would not only be beneficial on the technology front but that could come into our family so that we could do this work together,” said Dr. Melva.

Results

With Ellucian’s modern SaaS environment and student-centered ecosystem, Huston-Tillotson is transforming how it manages enrollment, data, and student engagement.

Key outcomes include:

• Improved Data Clarity: Streamlined systems provide real-time reporting and insights to support enrollment and planning.
• Stronger Collaboration: Campus teams now work with confidence in shared data and unified processes.
• Aligned Vision for Students: Both Ellucian and Huston-Tillotson share a deep commitment to putting students first.
• Empowered Leadership: The university can now focus on strategic priorities—student success, innovation, and equity.

“When you think about the core business model of higher education, we always have to go back to the students. The students are first. That’s where I see Ellucian has placed its energy, talent, and treasure—and that was critical in us deciding that Ellucian would be our partner,” said Dr. Melva.

“Every university feels that they’re unique. Ellucian has the secret sauce in making sure that each institution’s personality and creativity are seen through the data.”

Looking Ahead

As Huston-Tillotson continues to evolve its systems and data strategy, the partnership with Ellucian remains a cornerstone of its mission—to serve students, particularly Black and brown learners pursuing an HBCU education.

“To have a partner like Ellucian that says, ‘We’ll take care of your data so you can focus on the student experience,’ that’s the type of partner we wanted. We’re thrilled to know that Ellucian serves 73% of HBCUs across the country. That’s a badge of honor—and we’re proud to be part of that number,” said Dr. Melva.