Scott Wheat – Arkansas State University

Scott Wheat’s career at Arkansas State University is defined by transformation—of systems, of connectivity, and of himself. Now in his 16th year at A-State, Wheat serves as director of hardware and telecom services, leading a team that ensures the technology supporting more than 14,000 students, faculty, and staff runs smoothly, securely, and efficiently.

Scott Wheat | Arkansas State University | Director of Hardware & Telecom Services

It’s not the kind of work that often makes headlines, but it’s the kind that makes everything else possible.

“Our role is to make sure people can do their jobs without thinking about the systems that power them,” Wheat says. “If we’re doing our jobs right, no one notices.”

His path to IT wasn’t a straight one. Armed with a marketing degree, Wheat began his career managing a division of TCBY before being recruited by Sonic Drive-In. There, he encountered point-of-sale systems for the first time—technology that transformed sales forecasting and customer service. Intrigued by what data could reveal, he began digging deeper into the power of information systems.

That curiosity led him to Teleflora, where he helped roll out online ordering systems for flower shops nationwide—years before e-commerce became standard.

“It was the problem-solving aspect that hooked me,” Wheat says. “The hardware side gave me something tangible to fix, while the software side was like solving a puzzle.”

That blend of practicality and curiosity set the tone for a career spent bridging people and technology.

A university in motion

Arkansas State University, located in Jonesboro, Arkansas, is a Carnegie Research 2 institution known for innovation and applied learning. The university’s reach extends beyond its main campus, with satellite locations, online programs, and even an international campus in Queretaro, Mexico. For Wheat, that scale means the infrastructure he manages must not only support a sprawling network but also anticipate what’s coming next.

He joined A-State at a pivotal time—when higher education technology was transitioning from static systems to dynamic, cloud-connected platforms. His first assignment was managing the university’s portal system, ensuring that data across departments was accurate and accessible. It was a detail-oriented job that gave him a ground-level view of how digital information moves through an institution.

“I learned early on that technology in higher education isn’t about the hardware itself,” he says. “It’s about how it enables learning, research, and community.”

From there, he rose quickly through the ranks, eventually leading the university’s ITS web team. That role expanded his responsibilities to include managing the university website, servers, digital signage, and communication systems. Today, as director of hardware and telecom services, he oversees everything from emergency phones and panic buttons to mobile credentials and surveillance systems. His department ensures the infrastructure connecting A-State’s people and places is strong enough to handle whatever challenges the future brings.

Redundancy & resilience

Among Wheat’s top priorities is a five-year plan to build “double-loop redundancy” across all campus systems. This phrase sounds highly technical but carries a simple mission: eliminate downtime.

Every “hop” in a network connection adds latency, slowing communication and data flow. One of Wheat’s associate directors’ double-loop design reduces those hops and ensures that if one fiber line is damaged or interrupted, traffic automatically reroutes through another. The result? Faster, more resilient connectivity for students, faculty, and staff.

“Each connection adds risk,” he explains. “With a dual-loop system, we’re creating failover paths that allow the network to keep running even if something goes down.”

That infrastructure doesn’t just support classroom activities—it underpins research, online learning, and campus operations that depend on real-time data. Wheat’s approach reflects a philosophy rooted in foresight: to build not just for today, but for what the university will need years from now.

The effort extends beyond performance to safety. His team manages the backbone of A-State’s campus security technology, from emergency phones to video surveillance to panic buttons in key offices. They work hand in hand with the university police department and safety committees to assess vulnerabilities, prioritize upgrades, and implement new systems.

“Our surveillance and communication systems serve as both deterrents and safeguards,” Wheat says. “Every second counts in an emergency, so reliability is non-negotiable.”

He also chairs the university’s Safety Committee and oversees its safety budget—roles that give him a unique perspective on how technology intersects with human protection. Quarterly meetings ensure that safety priorities stay aligned with evolving campus needs, and his team handles everything from planning and quoting to deployment and maintenance.

Smarter access & stronger compliance

Perhaps no project better exemplifies Wheat’s people-first philosophy than A-State’s rollout of mobile credentials. The initiative allows students and staff to use smartphones and smartwatches for access control, payments, and identification across campus.

“People tend to notice when their phone goes missing a lot faster than a plastic ID,” Wheat says. “That simple behavioral insight makes our system more secure.”

Mobile credentials also reduce administrative workload—eliminating the need for reprints, lost card replacements, and manual tracking. For a campus community that thrives on convenience, the shift has been both practical and transformative.

At the same time, regulatory compliance has become an increasingly critical part of Wheat’s portfolio. As A-State expands into healthcare-adjacent fields like veterinary medicine, compliance with HIPAA and FERPA regulations is paramount. The school’s IT security team has implemented a comprehensive review process for all new software purchases, ensuring they meet stringent data protection standards.

“With new programs come new responsibilities,” he says. “Our challenge is to ensure everyone handling sensitive information is properly trained and that our systems are certified for the highest standards of security.”

This proactive approach has led to full compliance across departments—a milestone that Wheat credits to collaboration and education as much as technology.

“It’s not just about implementing controls; it’s about creating a culture where everyone understands why those controls matter.”

People at the center of every decision

Behind the systems, servers, and fiber optics, Wheat’s philosophy remains remarkably simple: technology exists to serve people. Every major initiative his department undertakes begins with a conversation—with students, faculty, or staff—about their needs, frustrations, and goals.

“The campus community drives everything we do,” he says. Departments submit requests, and his team collaborates to define objectives and design solutions that fit. “Our success depends on how well we listen and respond.”

This people-centered mindset is what sets A-State’s IT leadership apart. Whether implementing AI tools to streamline workflows or automating network systems to reduce manual intervention, Wheat’s focus is always on improving end-user experiences.

“We’re constantly looking at how technology can make teaching, learning, and working simpler and more effective,” he says.

That adaptability has become a defining strength. Technology changes fast, but so does education. Wheat’s team stays ahead through continuous learning—attending conferences, exploring emerging tech, and testing tools that might one day enhance campus operations. Artificial intelligence is already automating monitoring, detecting vulnerabilities, and organizing workflows.

“Our goal is to reduce reliance on large support teams by designing smarter systems,” Wheat says. “It’s about future-proofing—not just the technology, but the university’s ability to grow with it.”

Building for the next generation

As Arkansas State looks ahead, its technology backbone will continue to evolve under Wheat’s leadership. His career has come full circle—from marketing products in the private sector to managing the invisible systems that power education. That unlikely path has given him a unique perspective: technology, like business, succeeds when it meets people where they are.

“I came into IT through experience, not through theory,” he reflects. “That’s helped me focus on usability and outcomes. The question is always: how does this help someone do their job better, safer, or faster?”

In the end, Wheat and his team may not be the most visible presence on campus, but their fingerprints are everywhere—from the door a student unlocks with their phone to the data center quietly keeping lectures online. Their work ensures that A-State isn’t just keeping up with technology—it’s defining how a modern university should function in the digital age.

And for Wheat, that’s precisely the point. “The goal,” he says with a smile, “is for technology to disappear into the background—so that learning and connection can take center stage.”