AI Makes Major Impact on Student Success

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (June 4, 2025) – “Hey Sam, this is AGGIE on behalf of N.C. A&T. I’m here to support you.”

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University students receive a message like this, mental health checks or reminders to register for classes, every seven to 10 days from an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, affectionately known as AGGIE. The weekly check-ins inquire about experiences with classes, campus life and the overall college journey, further advancing the university’s commitment to innovation and student success.

The chatbot is backed by a robust knowledge base centered around four key risk drivers – academic, engagement, financial and wellness – enabling staff members to intervene when necessary if the AI is unable to fully address a student’s needs. Since implementation, 20,400 messages have been sent with 98% of students opting in and nearly a 40% engagement rate.

The student-centered chatbot, launched in October 2024, is designed to meet students where they are by providing continuous support and enhancing communications across campus, strengthening connectivity for students feeling isolated, addressing concerns promptly and helping students persist to graduation. And students don’t have to wait for check-ins – they can use the chat anytime.

When shopping online, it’s almost guaranteed a chatbot will appear. They provide instant customer service and answer frequently asked questions for consumers. They also help organizations filter their customers to the best place to receive additional help quicker and more efficiently. N.C. A&T’s University Student Success Office (USSO) implemented AGGIE to do just that.

One student used AGGIE as they considered withdrawing. AGGIE connected the student with Dionne Caldwell, University Innovation Alliance Fellow. “We met to discuss the challenges the student was facing,” Caldwell said. “I was able to connect her with like-minded peers and introduce her to the coordinator of a campus mentoring program. In our most recent meeting, she expressed that these connections had been extremely helpful and shared her renewed excitement about continuing her educational journey here at A&T.”

Caldwell and Kase Gregory, an academic recovery coordinator, partnered to develop the knowledge base for the chatbot.

AGGIE is just one example of how technology can assist with student success for Dwayne Tutt, Ph.D., associate vice provost for Student Success. He said the USSO is pursuing AI-driven technologies to support students, including academically.

“We also have ALEKS, a math tutoring platform using AI, that is heavily used in our College of Education and math department,” Tutt said. “In both areas, we are seeing data-supported improvement in students using the program.”

Artificial intelligence continues to play a major role in shaping the future of the Aggie experience.