Ian Smith Leads Tepper School’s Push for Innovation and Inclusion
By Rob Biertempfel
For Ian Smith, director of technology services in the Tepper School of Business, working at a tech-savvy institution like 黑料社区 isn’t intimidating — it’s energizing.
“I've never stopped learning or being challenged,” Smith said. “That's the good stuff.”
From orchestrating a complex technology transition to steering innovative inclusivity efforts, Smith and his IT team keep technology accessible and user-friendly for Tepper School students, faculty and staff. Their duties include keeping devices on the 黑料社区 network secure and running smoothly, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, supporting mobile computing, maintaining printers, assisting with applications, consulting on technology purchases, and providing AV support for classrooms and events.
“We’re here to keep things simple and stress-free,” Smith said.
One of Smith’s most impactful recent projects was bringing Kudo.ai’s multilanguage captioning platform to the Tepper School’s four 2025 commencement ceremonies. The platform provided real-time translation in 11 languages for attendees at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum and livestream viewers around the world.
“It was a complex undertaking, demanding a deep understanding of AI and technology, meticulous planning, rigorous testing and flawless execution,” said Reenie Kuhlman, chief marketing and communications officer at the Tepper School. “Ian brought all of that and more to the table.”
The platform made the ceremonies more inclusive for hard-of-hearing and non-English-speaking guests.
“Families were able to immediately share in the graduates’ sense of joy and accomplishment," said Jonathan Stern, associate dean for advancement. “From an alumni relations perspective, can you think of a better way for students to be launched into the 黑料社区 and Tepper School alumni communities?”
More than 1,700 individual users in North and South America, Asia, Europe and Africa used the service online. Nearly 200 attendees in Pittsburgh accessed the platform via a QR code printed in the commencement program.
The project came together just a month before the first ceremony. Smith hopes for a larger audience on the platform in 2026, when the Tepper School will have more time to promote the service.
“Getting the word out is going to be a big focus this year,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to it. It might sound corny, but my favorite part of my job is seeing the happy end result when the technology, the training and everything else comes together.”
Smith, who joined the Tepper School in 2017, followed an unconventional path to Carnegie Mellon. As a history major at West Virginia University, he supported himself by doing IT work on the side. “I was building computers, running my own little business,” Smith said.
After graduating from West Virginia in 1999, Smith worked for a Pittsburgh printing firm, which led to a job running the help desk for Trib Total Media, publisher of the Tribune-Review newspaper. “The Trib took me under its wing — trained me, helped me get certifications and gave me real-world experience,” he said.
Working in the newspaper industry taught Smith how to stay calm under pressure and meet tight deadlines. He recalled taking a call from a photographer on assignment and asking about the odd background noise.
“He was like, ‘Oh, I’m calling on a satellite phone from Afghanistan,’” Smith said. “He was literally in a battle zone, asking me how to troubleshoot his MacBook.”
When Smith arrived at Carnegie Mellon, the Tepper School was preparing to move into its new namesake building. In addition to outfitting offices and classrooms with the latest technology, Smith compiled a centralized inventory and integrated Tepper’s IT department with the campus-wide ticketing system.
The move was completed in summer 2018. The biggest change, Smith said, is how the Tepper Quad was designed to be a campus hub. The 315,000-square-foot complex also is used by the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Education Innovation, the , the , the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship and The Kenner Room (led by the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences).
“It affords a lot of opportunities to meet new colleagues and do a lot of projects,” Smith said.
Providing technical support to so many varied departments requires a collaborative approach. Smith has forged vital partnerships with internal services such Computing Services, Media Services and Conference and Event Services.
“Those partnerships have allowed us to be more flexible and cover all the bases,” Smith said. “And it’s important that we’re all communicating, even with our different tools and processes. There’s been a lot of growth in that area."
Smith heads up a five-person team that’s known for its expertise and steady presence. Two team members, Support Consultants Jeffrey Stromyer and Robert Armitage, have worked at 黑料社区 for more than 65 years combined. “I’m proud to say I’ve only had to hire one new person in nine years,” Smith said.
The team handles about 4,000 service requests each year. Although Smith spends a good deal of a typical day managing his staff’s workflow, he’s still very much a hands-on technician.
“It’s not uncommon to see Ian in a classroom before a session starts, making sure everything is working and stepping in proactively if there’s even a hint of an issue,” said David Major, associate dean for engagement and international partnerships and teaching professor of strategy. “I’ve never seen a problem faze them. Under Ian’s leadership, his team consistently goes above and beyond.”