SA Voices From the Field
Dr. Jill Creighton, NASPA
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From Novice to Leader: Navigating AI Adoption in Student Affairs with Dr. Claire Brady
Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of Student Affairs with AI In the constantly evolving landscape of higher education, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a potent tool for student affairs professionals. In the latest episode of the "Student Affairs Voices from the Field" podcast, Dr. Jill Creighton spoke with Dr. Claire Brady as she shared her insights on how AI can be harnessed to streamline operations, free up time for deeper human connections, and enhance student success. Anchoring her discourse around the recently published NASPA AI report, Dr. Brady provides a roadmap for AI integration, framed through four crucial phases. Rapid Implementation: Where to Start Starting Small for Immediate Impact Dr. Brady emphasizes the importance of initiating AI integration through readily available solutions that address immediate challenges with minimal disruption. This phase centers around adopting free and low-cost tools that can yield quick wins. For instance, Kellogg Community College began using a CRM with embedded AI tools in their admissions department, which gradually expanded across the institution. This approach allowed them to showcase the value of AI incrementally while building momentum for broader adoption. Resource and Capacity Building: Strengthening Foundations Enhancing AI Literacy and Competence The second phase involves building the necessary infrastructure and expertise for more sophisticated AI applications. Nashville State Community College serves as a model, implementing a year-long AI training program funded by a state grant. This comprehensive program combines interactive learning with critical analysis of AI's practical applications, helping to foster a campus-wide culture of AI literacy and competence. Such initiatives are crucial for developing the foundational knowledge and skills required for future AI endeavors. Scaling Solutions: Expanding AI's Reach From Departmental Pilots to Institutional Integration Scaling successful AI initiatives across various departments and functions forms the core of the third phase. Georgia State University's chatbot, Pounce, exemplifies this phase. Originally designed to reduce summer melt, Pounce has evolved into a comprehensive student support system. By leveraging AI to improve engagement with first-generation and underserved students, Georgia State demonstrates how a focused pilot project can scale into a broad institutional strategy that significantly enhances student experiences. Strategic Transformation: Towards Comprehensive Integration Aligning AI with Institutional Goals The final phase, strategic transformation, envisions a comprehensive integration of AI fully aligned with broader institutional goals. This phase anticipates creating an ecosystem where all technological components work synergistically. The University of Florida's "Building an AI University" initiative exemplifies this stage. By embedding AI education across disciplines and emphasizing ethical guidelines and accessibility, the university ensures that AI integration supports their mission holistically. Moving Forward: Centering the Human Element Enhancing, Not Replacing Human Interaction Dr. Brady highlights the essential role of human-centered AI integration, stressing that AI should augment rather than replace human interactions. AI can alleviate the laborious aspects of administrative tasks, allowing student affairs professionals to focus more on meaningful, human-centric activities. This perspective is crucial as the field navigates the integration of emerging technologies. Conclusion: Embracing the AI Frontier The transformational potential of AI in student affairs is vast, and as Dr. Brady emphasizes, now is the time for institutions to start exploring and implementing these tools. By following the structured phases of AI integration outlined in the NASPA report, student affairs professionals can strategically harness AI to enhance their work, support students, and ultimately drive institutional success. As we embrace this new frontier, continuous learning, ethical considerations, and a commitment to human-centered practices will be key to thriving in the future. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher ed professionals wherever you happen to be. This is season 12, continuing our journey through the past, present, and future of student affairs. I'm doctor Jill Creighton, she, her, hers, your essay voices from the field host. Today on essay voices, we're bringing the conversation back to artificial intelligence in student affairs. We welcome Claire Brady, who is a first generation American and first generation college graduate who has built a distinguished career at the intersection of digital transformation, organizational excellence, and higher educational leadership. A seasoned executive consultant and national thought leader in AI adoption, Claire specializes in helping organizations harness AI not just to streamline operations, but to free up time for deeper, more meaningful human connections. Through glass half full consulting, Claire helps organizations scale their AI integrations strategically and substantially. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:02]: Sorry, Chris. Starting that, paragraph over. Through glass half full consulting, Claire helps organizations scale their AI integrations strategically and sustainably, enabling teams to amplify their impact while staying true to their core mission and values. The firm specializes in creating customized AI adoption road maps that align with organizational goals, ensuring technology serves as a catalyst for meaningful growth and enhanced human connections. As a sought after speaker and trainer, Claire is dedicated to equipping professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive in an AI enhanced world. She is the author of The Transformative Potential of AI and Student Affairs, Recommendations for Student Affairs Leader, a national report developed in partnership with NASPA and the Strata Educational Foundation, which is also the topic of our episode today. Claire has held executive leadership roles as vice president for student affairs at Lake Sumter State College and Anna G. Mendez University, serving both Florida and Puerto Rico. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:55]: Her career also includes leadership and teaching roles at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Michigan State University, and Alma College. A committed mentor and thought leader in higher education, she's contributed to NASBA as a faculty member and co director of the Institute for Aspiring BPSAs and New Professionals Institute, as well as a frequent contributor to Leadership Exchange and Colleague Conversations. Beyond her professional work, Claire is an active member of regional and national associations and serves on various community boards in Central Florida. She and her partner, Ben, and their son live in Orlando where life is filled with Lego builds, Minecraft discussions, and Broadway show tunes. When she's not exploring new AI tools or traveling, she enjoys reading, great TV, and time with family and friends. Claire, welcome to SA Voices. Dr. Claire Brady [00:02:37]: Thank you for having me. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:38]: Lovely to see you again with many connections in NASPA. I always like to clue our listeners in. Claire was one of my faculty members at the NASPA AVP Institute. Oh, gosh. I think that was five years ago now. Dr. Claire Brady [00:02:51]: A time ago. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:53]: And and so it's lovely to reconnect. We're gonna be spending most of our conversation today talking about the authorship of the AI report, which was just released by NASPA just before the winter break. So if you haven't had a chance to check that out, it is freely available actually with or without your NASPA membership. If you're just a higher ed community member and wanna check it out, it's, freely available on the Internet. But Claire, you're off and running into the consulting world now after have having spent a long time, as a senior student affairs officer at VPSA. We always like to ask our guests how you got to your current seat, and I'm so curious about your journey. Dr. Claire Brady [00:03:27]: As you can imagine, a lot of people have questions about moving from full time staff into consulting. So I'll I'll definitely share some of that as well. So I'm a very traditional higher ed student affairs. I mean, my twenty fifth year, I started as a student leader. Most folks know my origin story. I immigrated to The US when I was in high school, and I'm a first generation college student. I was absolutely in love with the college experience at Michigan State University, very involved student leader, and applied for graduate school and got denied. And it was actually the best thing that could have happened to me. Dr. Claire Brady [00:04:00]: I went and worked full time at a small liberal arts college, Alma College in Michigan, and really honed my craft and really figured out quickly that this was the profession I wanted to pursue. Went on to graduate school, went on to some great positions at Michigan State, the University of Illinois and Lake Sumter State College and eventually Ana G. Mendez University. So I've worked at Big Ten, I've worked at community college, I've worked at a Hispanic serving bilingual institution, and I really started off in generalist, roles. Then I moved to some specialist roles, eventually into AVP, Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs. And all throughout that process, I always was a regular good human in the professional association space. I did a lot of speaking and presenting, and then eventually I did some consulting on th
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