When the Stars Align
Schools adapt to meet needs
Imagine a fall afternoon in South Bend, Indiana. A group of Notre Dame students huddle around a multifunction device in the Hesburgh Library at the heart of campus. Reports are due. Presentations need polishing. Printers are humming. What looks like a routine moment of campus life is actually a window into something larger. For Gilberto A. Carles, those printers—and the partnership behind them—tell the story of how higher education can align its resources with the evolving needs of students, faculty and the ecosystem.
Carles, the University of Notre Dame’s Executive Director of Procurement Services, says the relationship the school has forged with partners like Canon USA continues to make a difference in even the simplest of tasks. “They have been a great partner to the University of Notre Dame for many years. Their multifunction devices are efficient, high-quality and reliable. They support faculty and staff every day, but they’re also critical for students working on reports and projects. The service is seamless—it keeps our operations running.”
That reliability—and the calm it instills—is not an accident. It is the product of years of intentional collaboration, creative problem-solving and a procurement strategy that is designed to add value to every bidding process. “Our role in procurement is to be an extension of each unit’s team,” Carles says. “We facilitate the bidding and selection process. We’re guided by strategic sourcing methodology to ensure the best results for stakeholders.”
More than just back-office logistics, these types of partnerships are helping to ensure today’s higher education institutions remain responsive to shifting demands—whether that means enabling research labs to comply with federal regulations or making sure classrooms have the tools they need to function without disruption.
“Our mission is to further the goals of the university by facilitating procurement, mitigating risk, ensuring inclusivity and maximizing value in each transaction,” Carles says. “That mission drives us to think about the big picture—how every purchase connects to student success and institutional growth.”
The Canon relationship is one example of how procurement connects directly to workforce readiness. Creating standards—like default double-sided printing or black-and-white settings—helps reduce costs and build sustainable practices. “It’s about efficiency, but it’s also about modeling responsible business processes that students see and carry into their careers,” Carles says.
“Our approach is always learning. Every request we receive is an opportunity to research, to expand our knowledge, and to better advise stakeholders.”
— Gilberto A. Carles, Executive Director, Procurement Services, University of Notre Dame
Carles says today’s procurement professionals must be more than negotiators. They must understand market conditions, conduct detailed analysis and navigate federal research regulations. That means supplier relationship management is critical. “Preferred suppliers are part of our daily operations. Regular communication and feedback both ways help us grow together. Continuous improvement is the goal.”
That emphasis on growth extends to his team as well. Training at Notre Dame blends technical skills—contracts, strategic sourcing, federal regulations—with soft skills like communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence. “Our approach is always learning,” Carles says. “Every request we receive is an opportunity to research, to expand our knowledge, and to better advise stakeholders.”
His advice to other procurement professionals is straightforward. “Be prepared to keep learning about the market. Our world changes every day. Continuous education, embracing new technologies, even integrating AI into operations—these are the tools that will carry us into the future.”
Procurement with Purpose
At the University of Southern Mississippi, Deidre Edwards likes to tell prospective hires—and the next generation of students—that procurement is anything but static. The truth is that it is a jack-of-all-trades role. As a Senior Purchasing Agent, Edwards says that one day you may be working with athletics, the next with music and the next with facilities. “You’re not just sitting at a desk pushing paper. You’re at the table where things happen.”
Edwards lives these types of scenarios every day. At Southern Miss, she has been part of projects ranging from modular athletic locker rooms to the construction of a new theater. “I was there from beginning to end. Walking into that theater for the first student screening, I thought, ‘I did this. I had a hand in it.’ That’s the impact this career allows.”
If you want to take the 20,000-foot approach, you will find that the procurement skills needed in today’s environment go well beyond technical expertise. “Flexibility is No. 1,” Edwards says. “My background is in educational psychology and sport management, not business. What I use every day is the ability to communicate, adapt and build relationships. I can teach procurement rules. What I need are people who can talk to anyone—from the president to a secretary—without being intimidated or intimidating.”
In her view, procurement today must be solution-driven. “We sometimes have to say no, but it shouldn’t stop there. It should be, ‘No, but let’s look at another road to get there.’ That mindset is critical when dealing with tariffs, budget cuts, or new technologies.”
Edwards has seen this firsthand. “When tariffs added costs to research purchases, I had to coach my team to weigh quotes differently and think creatively. When grant funding is cut after commitments are made, we can’t just throw up our hands. We have to help researchers find a path forward.”
And then there’s artificial intelligence (AI). Edwards first experimented with ChatGPT by writing cheers for her daughter’s softball team. Not long after, she realized its professional potential in drafting RFPs and proposals. She remains realistic about both its strengths and its limits. “AI can draft an RFP, but it doesn’t know state laws or compliance codes. It can’t navigate the nuances. That’s where we bring value. Procurement professionals ensure things are done correctly.”
“What I use every day is the ability to communicate, adapt and build relationships. I can teach procurement rules. What I need are people who can talk to anyone.”
—Deidre Edwards, Senior Purchasing Agent, University of Southern Mississippi
If today’s procurement professionals are to succeed, Edwards believes they must be flexible, relationship-builders, solution-driven and relentlessly positive. “Challenges will keep coming—COVID, tariffs, budget cuts. Procurement isn’t about focusing on problems. It’s about creating solutions and moving institutions forward. That’s what makes this career rewarding.”
By forging partnerships, embracing innovation and staying solution-driven, today’s higher education procurement specialists are proving that when the stars align, education becomes both a catalyst for careers and a driver of economic growth.
