In higher education, agility is often challenged by complexity. Universities run dozens of specialized systems — from student information and learning platforms to HR and finance — each with its own data model and maintenance cycle. At Gonzaga University, this reality was no different.
As a private institution in Spokane, Washington, serving more than 7,400 students and 2,300 staff, Gonzaga’s IT team found themselves at the center of an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem. Systems weren’t communicating effectively, manual data transfers were common, and innovation cycles were slow. Every new request required custom code, lengthy testing, and specialized resources.
The IT leadership realized that sustaining growth, improving user experiences, and enabling data-driven decisions would require a different approach — one built on orchestration, automation, and empowerment. That’s where Workato came in.
Challenge: Disconnected Systems and Limited Visibility
Before adopting Workato, Gonzaga’s IT landscape was defined by complexity. Limited connector support and cumbersome Java-based integrations made it difficult to connect core systems like Banner, Salesforce, Canvas, and Destiny One. Process designs were rigid, upgrades were painful, and customizations required significant development effort.
This environment created operational bottlenecks. Business teams had to rely heavily on IT for even simple automation requests, which added to the backlog and hindered agility. There was little room to experiment or innovate. Gonzaga’s IT leaders knew they needed a unified solution — one that could simplify integrations, provide clear visibility, and empower end users to build automations safely and efficiently.
The Solution: Unified Orchestration with Workato
In 2023, Gonzaga took a transformative step forward with Workato and embraced automation as a strategic enabler. The goal was not just to modernize integrations, but to build a connected, intelligent ecosystem where data could flow effortlessly between systems and people.
By adopting Workato’s automation platform, Gonzaga gained access to extensive pre-built connectors and accelerators, allowing the team to integrate key systems faster and more reliably. The transition to Workato simplified API management — schema creation became seamless, and this eliminated the need for complex Postman POCs or manual configurations.
A key part of the transformation was enabling citizen developers across departments. With light IT guardrails, non-technical staff could now automate routine workflows, which helped free up IT resources for higher-value initiatives. Workato’s intuitive interface and support excellence ensured smooth onboarding and faster adoption across the university.
At the same time, Gonzaga began building its Enterprise Data Hub (EDH) — powered by Workato and Snowflake — to centralize data pipelines from multiple sources. This foundation is key to the university’s goal of achieving real-time intelligence, where every team can act on unified, trusted data.
The Impact: Accelerated Innovation, Streamlined Operations, and a Culture of Empowerment
The results have been substantial. To date, Gonzaga has built over 400 integrations, spanning everything from student onboarding to faculty data management. Fast build cycles and simplified maintenance have significantly reduced IT effort, while the citizen developer program has created a culture of shared ownership and innovation.
Operational efficiency has improved across departments — tasks that once required days of manual intervention now happen automatically. With clearer visibility and governance, Gonzaga’s IT team can now focus on strategy rather than troubleshooting.
Beyond efficiency, the university is redefining its approach to problem-solving. Automation is no longer an IT-only initiative; it’s a university-wide mindset powered by Workato’s orchestration capabilities.
The Road Ahead: Building an AI-Driven, Data-Intelligent University
Looking ahead, Gonzaga is expanding its automation footprint with Workato One, AI-driven support workflows, and a unified data warehouse that delivers real-time insights. By automating support intake and cutting resolution times, the IT team aims to further enhance user experience for students, staff, and faculty.
With its automation journey well underway, Gonzaga is proving that digital transformation in education doesn’t require massive IT overhead — just the right orchestration platform and a commitment to empowering people through technology.